Key Facts

• Shon Barnes resigned following criticism of the police response to a shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival.
• Three people, including one suspect, died, and four others were injured, one of them a two-year-old child.
• Barnes was out of town at a conference when the shooting happened.
• Police officers quickly persuaded a 15-year-old suspect to surrender and are still looking for others involved.
• The police and city officials were criticized for slow and confusing communication after the shooting.
• Deputy chief Andre Sayles, with over 20 years in law enforcement, became the interim police chief.
• Barnes was Seattle’s second Black police chief, appointed in December 2024, and supported by some community groups for improving relations and reducing gun violence.
• Barnes made several trips to Chicago this year, where his family lives, and attended police conferences.