SEATTLE, Washington — Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes resigned Thursday following criticism of the city’s delayed and inaccurate public communication after a deadly shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival.
Mayor Katie Wilson accepted Barnes’ resignation and appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles as interim chief. Sayles has served with the department for more than two decades and will be tasked with restoring public confidence while the city searches for a permanent replacement.
The shooting killed three people, including a suspected gunman, and wounded four others, including a 2-year-old child. Officers responded quickly and detained a 15-year-old suspect, but city officials waited nearly five hours to provide a detailed public update. Wilson also initially announced that two suspects were in custody, information later shown to be incorrect.
Barnes faced additional scrutiny for being outside Seattle when the shooting occurred and for spending significant time traveling, including trips to Chicago, where his family lives.
Several Black community organizations, including the Seattle NAACP and Urban League, defended Barnes, citing improving public-safety trends and stronger community relationships during his tenure.
Barnes said the leadership change would allow the department to refocus on youth gun violence and preventing similar tragedies. Police continue searching for at least one additional suspect and investigating whether the shooting was gang-related.
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