Seattle mayor says police chief has resigned after criticism of festival shooting response
Summary
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has resigned after criticism of the city's response to a deadly shooting at a food festival. Mayor Katie Wilson named Deputy Chief Andre Sayles as the new interim police chief while the city continues to handle the aftermath.Key Facts
- Police Chief Shon Barnes resigned following criticism of the police response to a shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival.
- The shooting killed three people, including one suspect, and injured four others, including a 2-year-old child.
- Barnes was out of town at a law enforcement conference when the shooting happened.
- The police and mayor's office faced criticism for slow and unclear communication during the incident.
- Deputy Chief Andre Sayles, with over 20 years of experience, was named interim police chief.
- Community groups including the Seattle NAACP urged the mayor to keep Barnes, citing his efforts to improve police-community relations.
- Barnes was appointed chief in December 2024 by the previous mayor and was Seattle’s second Black police chief.
- Mayor Katie Wilson, a democratic socialist, had kept Barnes as chief after taking office despite her past support for defunding police.
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