Seattle Police Chief Resigns Amid Backlash Over Festival Shooting Response

Seattle’s constabulary chief has resigned amid disapproval of nan city’s consequence to a fatal shootout astatine a nutrient show past weekend, Mayor Katie Wilson announced connected Thursday.

The departure of Chief Shon Barnes followed hours of intense speculation about whether he would measurement down, arsenic immoderate of his supporters claimed he had rebuffed Mayor Wilson’s petition for his resignation.

Mayor Wilson confirmed nan assignment of Deputy Chief Andre Sayles arsenic interim chief, a rule enforcement seasoned pinch much than 2 decades of experience. Chief Barnes told The Seattle Times on Thursday that whether he remains main is "up to nan mayor," adding that he was disconnected for nan time and spending clip pinch family.

A constabulary section spokesperson told The Associated Press they did not person immoderate accusation to stock astir nan situation.

Barnes was retired of municipality astatine a rule enforcement convention erstwhile gunfire erupted past play astatine nan Bite of Seattle, an yearly three-day show that draws hundreds of nutrient and unit vendors and performers. Three people, including 1 suspect, were killed, and 4 group were wounded. One of nan injured was a 2-year-old boy.

Dozens of officers were astatine nan event, and astatine slightest 1 saw a 15-year-old fishy firing into a crowd and quickly persuaded him to surrender, according to tribunal documents. Police are still searching for astatine slightest 1 different person.

Both nan Seattle Police Department and Wilson person faced disapproval for slow and confusing connection successful nan shooting's aftermath.

After an first societal media station announcing that location had been a shooting pinch aggregate victims, it took astir 5 hours for constabulary to supply immoderate further accusation to nan public, including whether location was immoderate ongoing threat. In nan meantime, Wilson announced that 2 group had been taken into custody, a connection she later retracted.

Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis yet provided an update astir 11 p.m. Sunday nighttime during news convention that was besides attended by nan mayor, Gov. Bob Ferguson and U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal.

Barnes is nan 2nd Black constabulary main successful Seattle.

Several Black organization organizations, including nan Seattle NAACP and nan Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, rallied to effort to prevention his occupation Thursday. In an unfastened missive to nan mayor's office, they credited him pinch improving relations betwixt nan section and nan community, helping trim weapon unit and strengthening nan department's operations.

“This is nan incorrect determination astatine nan incorrect clip and would disrupt Seattle’s advancement successful nationalist safety,” nan missive said. “The tragic fatal shooting astatine nan Bite of Seattle was heartbreaking for our city, but Chief Barnes should not beryllium made a scapegoat for nan analyzable challenges of nationalist safety.”

Civil authorities lawyer James Bible was pinch a mini group of Black leaders who met pinch Wilson early Thursday. Wilson didn’t “tip her hand” regarding whether she’ll occurrence Barnes but appeared to beryllium considering their statement successful favour of keeping him connected nan job, he said.

“I’m hopeful that she will return a measurement backmost and make a different determination for now and past create criteria for immoderate early decisions,” Bible said.

Barnes was appointed by Seattle's erstwhile mayor, Bruce Harrell, successful December 2024 aft serving arsenic main of nan Madison, Wisconsin, constabulary department.

When Wilson — a antiauthoritarian socialist who erstwhile supported defunding constabulary — won nan mayor's title past year, she kept Barnes connected arsenic chief. That was a awesome to nan city's business constitution and organization groups that she did not intend to return a radically different attack to nationalist safety.

Wilson came into agency pinch nary anterior elected aliases guidance experience, but pinch a estimation arsenic personification who thought profoundly astir societal and argumentation issues. A lingering mobility was really decisively she would enactment arsenic mayor.

“She looks anemic and vacillating,” Seattle governmental advisor Sandeep Kaushik said Thursday. “There’s almost 24 hours now wherever it’s not clear whether nan constabulary main is still nan constabulary chief.”

Barnes has faced immoderate disapproval for spending clip successful Chicago, wherever his family lives. Sgt. Patrick Michaud, a section spokesperson, said Thursday that Barnes has made 4 trips to Chicago this twelvemonth and spent successful full astir 18 days walking there. Barnes besides has traveled to respective constabulary executive and recruitment conferences.

Barnes was named arsenic nan main of constabulary successful Seattle 5 days aft he was thrust into nan nationalist spotlight because of a shooting astatine a belief schoolhouse successful Wisconsin that killed a coach and student. At nan time, Harrell said Barnes had demonstrated “impressive activity capabilities” during an investigation into nan shooting.

The hostility betwixt nan politician and constabulary main comes arsenic Seattle heads into different large show weekend. Seafair Weekend Festival 2026 — a boating event, aerial show and show — starts Friday.