Seattle Police Chief faces scrutiny over use of ‘trigger pullers’ term

Seattle Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles has drawn scrutiny following his use of the term ‘trigger pullers’ to describe individuals known for gun violence. The remarks were made during a news conference addressing a 24-hour period in which three people were killed and three others were injured in separate shootings.

Sayles stated that the department is working to identify these individuals and coordinate with the King County Prosecutor’s Office to bring them to justice. To combat the violence, the Seattle Police Department is increasing patrols, coordinating with local business owners, and deploying its community response group and gun violence reduction unit.

The terminology has faced criticism from local commentators who argue the phrase serves as a euphemism that softens the description of violent suspects. However, the term has been used previously in law enforcement contexts, including by former FBI Director Christopher Wray in 2022.