Seattle police chief Shon Barnes resigns after Bite of Seattle fallout

Seattle,UPDATED: Jul 31, 2026 09:18 IST

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes resigned on Thursday after criticism that the city was slow to release key information following a fatal shootout at a food festival last weekend. Mayor Katie Wilson announced the move and named Deputy Chief Andre Sayles, a law enforcement veteran with more than two decades of experience, as interim chief.

The resignation came after hours of speculation over Barnes' future, with some of his supporters saying he had resisted Wilson's request to step down. In a written statement, Wilson thanked Barnes for his service, while Barnes said it had been an honour to serve the city.

Barnes had earlier told The Seattle Times that whether he remained as chief was "up to the mayor". He said he was off for the day and spending time with family. In the mayor's statement, Barnes said, "I hope this transition gives the city and this department the opportunity to return full focus to what matters most, addressing youth gun violence and preventing more tragedies."

Gunfire broke out last weekend at the Bite of Seattle, an annual three-day festival that draws hundreds of food and retail vendors and performers. Barnes was out of town at a law enforcement conference when the shooting happened. Three people, including one suspect, were killed and four others were wounded. One of the injured was a 2-year-old boy.

According to court documents, dozens of officers were at the event, and at least one officer saw a 15-year-old suspect firing into the crowd and quickly persuaded him to surrender. Police are still searching for at least one other person. While Wilson credited the quick police response with potentially saving lives, she said the city was slow to communicate afterwards.

After an initial social media post about the shooting, police took nearly five hours to share more information with the public, including whether there was any continuing threat. The city also did not send any alert through its emergency notification system. In the meantime, Wilson said two people had been taken into custody, but later withdrew that statement. Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis gave an update around 11 pm on Sunday at a press conference attended by Wilson, Governor Bob Ferguson and US Representative Pramila Jayapal.

In a video statement on Thursday, Wilson said, "What I did not fully understand in that moment was how little information had reached the public or the press since the incident began at 6 pm. Had I known that, I would have pushed for an immediate briefing, rather than waiting for a press conference to be organised."

Barnes was Seattle's second Black police chief. Several Black community organisations, including the Seattle NAACP and the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, rallied on Thursday in support of him. In an open letter to the mayor's office, they said he had improved relations between the department and the community, helped reduce gun violence and strengthened the department's operations. "Chief Barnes should not be made a scapegoat for the complex challenges of public safety," the letter said.

At least six City Council members also issued statements backing Barnes. A statement signed by four of them said the city had had four chiefs in less than three years. "Our priority must be stability, not further disruption," it said.

Barnes was appointed by former mayor Bruce Harrell in December 2024 after serving as chief of the Madison, Wisconsin, police department. When Wilson, a democratic socialist who had once supported defunding police, won last year's mayoral race, she kept Barnes in the role, signalling to business groups and community organisations that she did not plan a sharply different approach to public safety.

Jon Scholes, president of the Downtown Seattle Association, said in an emailed statement, "Seattle had been on a positive course on public safety with police hiring trending up and crime trending down. It's imperative the next chief of police is able to maintain progress that's been made and instill confidence in our community." Barnes had also faced criticism for spending time in Chicago, where his family lives. Department spokesperson Sgt Patrick Michaud said on Thursday that Barnes had made four trips to Chicago this year and spent about 18 days travelling there in total.

The resignation comes as Seattle prepares for another major festival weekend, with the Seafair Weekend Festival 2026 starting on Friday. Barnes' exit follows intense scrutiny over the city's handling of information after the Bite of Seattle shooting, even as supporters argued that he had brought stability and progress to the police department.

With PTI Inputs

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