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By Marni Rose McFall and Amanda Castro
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Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced that Police Chief Shon Barnes has resigned on Thursday, marking a leadership transition following recent public scrutiny of the city's response to the deadly Bite of Seattle shooting.
In a release from Wilson's office, the mayor said that Deputy Chief Andre Sayles has been appointed interim chief.
In accepting Barnes' resignation, Wilson thanked him for his service and highlighted his contributions to public safety during his tenure, while emphasizing the professionalism of Seattle police officers and the city's continued commitment to community-based policing. Sayles will lead the department on an interim basis as the city begins the search for a permanent police chief, with Wilson saying that the administration's focus will remain on addressing youth gun violence and strengthening public safety across Seattle.
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“My vision for public safety in this city is grounded in transparency, trust, and genuine collaboration with the community,” Wilson said in the release in part. “Keeping people safe requires trust, and trust requires that this department shows up in neighborhoods every day, builds relationships with residents, community organizations, and small businesses, and is accountable to the people it serves.”
What To Know
Community leaders packed Seattle City Hall earlier, on Thursday, rallying behind Barnes after reports surfaced that Wilson had moved to dismiss him.
The show of support came as several organizers met face‑to‑face with Wilson earlier in the morning, according to KOMO News Seattle, urging stability inside the department amid mounting scrutiny over Barnes’ absence during Sunday’s mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival.
Three people were killed and four others wounded in the attack, before police arrested a 15-year-old suspect. The shooting unfolded while Barnes was attending a conference in Dallas, fueling criticism of both the chief and City Hall over delayed and conflicting public information in the hours that followed.
Ahead of this, multiple unconfirmed reports emerged that Barnes had been asked to resign. Fox News reported that Wilson had relieved Barnes of his duties, citing five unnamed sources.
The gunfire erupted around 6 p.m. at the annual three-day festival, which began in 1982 and draws more than 350,000 attendees and hundreds of food and retail vendors, according to its website.
Dozens of officers were assigned to provide security at the festival, and some witnessed one of the suspects firing a weapon.
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Police believe that at least three people were involved in the shooting and allege that the shooters included a 15-year-old who was arrested in the case, an acquaintance who was killed at the scene, and "at least one other unknown suspect" who is yet to be identified.
A large police and emergency response presence was mobilized at the scene, and officers evacuated the area.
News that investigators believe that there are at least three suspects involved followed a series of conflicting public statements and confusion in the hours and days after the attack.
Newsweek has contacted the Seattle Mayor’s Office and the Seattle Police Department via email outside of standard working hours for comment.
Who Is Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes?
Barnes is an American law enforcement leader whose career has spanned classrooms, small‑city departments, and two major U.S. police agencies. Barnes, a former history teacher, rose through the ranks in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he served as deputy chief from 2017 to 2020 before becoming chief of police in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2021.
His tenure in Madison emphasized community‑focused policing and data‑driven reforms, positioning him as a national voice on modern law enforcement practices.
In January 2025, Barnes was appointed chief of the Seattle Police Department, a role he held until July 2026. His leadership in Seattle drew both praise and scrutiny, particularly over his decision to reside in Chicago and commute to work—an arrangement that became a point of controversy during his administration.
Barnes is deeply involved in national policing reform efforts. He serves on the executive board of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, advises the University of Virginia’s Center for Public Safety and Justice, and contributes to the National Policing Institute’s Council on Policing Reforms and Race.
He holds a Ph.D. in leadership studies from North Carolina A&T State University, grounding his policing philosophy in academic research and organizational leadership.
Response From Police and Officials Scrutinized
On Sunday, the Seattle police waited for roughly five hours before they announced that one suspected shooter was in custody, and that one may still be at large.
Earlier in the day, Wilson incorrectly said that two people had been arrested.
At a news conference on Monday, Barnes said that investigators were uncertain whether a second suspected shooter was among those killed, and neither he nor Wilson discussed possible additional suspects at the time.
City officials have defended their response, saying they delayed releasing information to ensure the details about the incident were accurate.
Barnes was not in Seattle at the time of the shooting. He was in Dallas, attending a conference of Black law enforcement executives.
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While speaking to the press on Monday, Barnes was questioned about his whereabouts and travel schedule.
He said, "Part of being a leader is being here and being visible and being present, and part of being a leader in a major city is that sometimes I have obligations and I wanted to be at the conference to support one of our community members," Barnes said.
Asked how often he travels to Chicago, where his wife and children live, Barnes said, "Certainly, I don’t travel as often as I would like to," he said. "Reports that I’m gone every weekend are grossly misstated."
In an instance that has quickly gone viral, South Seattle reporter Connor Nash pressed Barnes about his schedule, leading to a heated exchange where he replied, "I have been here working as hard as I can for this city from the day I got here. You got that?"
Barnes had served as chief of the Seattle Police Department since July 2025. He was previously chief of police in Madison, Wisconsin, from 2021 to 2025.
Barnes had been scheduled to conduct interviews with the Seattle media on Wednesday afternoon, but outlets including KUOW have said those interviews were canceled.
Mayor Wilson Releases Statement
Addressing the people of Seattle, Wilson said in a video statement, released on July 30, "you deserve clarity about what has happened over these past few days."
"Our city has been grieving and searching for answers," she said, adding that she wanted to "speak directly" about the situation and that she knows there are "real questions about how the city communicated with the public" regarding the shooting.
"Information could and should have gone out much faster through social media, the emergency alert system, the SPD blotter and or an offsite press conference," Wilson admitted. "The public should have heard sooner about outstanding suspects and the status of the Seattle Center Campus."
She said miscommunications between offices and departments resulted in delays in getting information out to the public, and that at the time she "didn't realize" how little information had been disseminated in the hours after the shooting.
She assured that "processes and protocols" to ensure more effective communication with the public, and that any future communications would go out "much sooner in the future should anything like this happen again."
Officials React To Resignation
Members of Seattle City Council have expressed support for Barnes and said that a leader change may lead to a lack of stability at a time when the public requires "reliable leadership."
“Our city faces profound public safety challenges, from youth gun violence destroying lives to drug markets and human trafficking plaguing our neighborhoods. After the Seattle Center shooting, our focus should be on the lives lost and how we can address gun violence in our city. Tackling these crises and creating a safer Seattle requires strong, stable leadership," a statement from Council President Joy Hollingsworth (District 3), and Councilmembers Dan Strauss (District 6), Debora Juarez (District 5), Bob Kettle (District 7, Public Safety Chair) reads.
They said that when “communities are grieving, major decisions should be made with great deliberation" and that "making a significant leadership change in this moment puts our city in a precarious situation.
"Having cycled through four police chiefs in just two and a half years, our priority must be stability, not further disruption. The people of Seattle deserve reliable leadership, especially as we close out a busy summer of public events," the statement reads."
“Right now, our focus should be on keeping residents and visitors safe, providing stability and clear leadership, reducing gun violence in Southeast Seattle and ensuring public safety agencies are coordinated and delivering timely alerts and public information.”
"We are disappointed to see his departure and thank him for his service.”
Updates on the Investigation
The shooting victims have been identified as two men—aged 19 and 44—and a woman, aged 56.
Of the four injured, two men, aged 23 and 27 and a woman, aged 39, were treated and released, according to a hospital spokeswoman. A two-year-old boy was in satisfactory condition as of Monday.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
In court documents filed on Wednesday, police said that preliminary testing has shown that the bullets that killed two bystanders during the shooting did not come from the 15-year-old suspect, seen firing at the scene.
The teenager shot an untraceable ghost gun into the crowd.
Police believe the shooting was gang-related and continue to search for others who may have been involved.
On Wednesday, the police department opened an online portal where the public can share videos and photos from the shooting.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Ben Kelly, Robert Greenall and Anna Commander
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