In Seattle, US, Police Chief Shon Barnes resigned following a shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival. Three people were killed and four others injured, including a 2-year-old child.
Mayor Katie Wilson announced Barnes' resignation on Thursday. Wilson appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles, who has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, as acting police chief.
According to court documents, an officer working at the festival saw a 15-year-old suspect open fire on the crowd and quickly secured his surrender. Police are searching for at least one more suspect.
Barnes was at an out-of-town law enforcement conference in Washington state during the shooting. Mayor Wilson said the police response at the scene saved lives, but acknowledged that communication with the public in the hours that followed was inadequate.
Police posted on social media shortly after the shooting started but then provided no new information to the public for about five hours. During that time, residents were uncertain whether an ongoing threat remained. No alert was sent through the emergency notification system. Wilson later retracted an announcement that two suspects had been arrested after mistakenly making the claim.
In a video statement, Wilson said, "What I didn't fully understand at that moment was how little information had reached the public or the media since the incident began. Had I known, I would have requested an immediate briefing rather than waiting for a press conference to be organized."
In a statement released by the mayor's office, Barnes said it had been "an honor" to serve as Seattle's police chief. He expressed hope that the transition would allow the department to focus on "combating gun violence among youth and preventing further tragedy."
The resignation came after hours of speculation about Barnes' future. Black community organizations such as the Seattle NAACP and Metropolitan Seattle Urban League urged Wilson not to make Barnes "a scapegoat for the complex problems of public safety." These groups noted that Barnes had improved police-community relations, reduced gun violence, and strengthened department operations. Some City Council members also expressed support for Barnes, pointing out that Seattle has had four police chiefs in the past three years.
Barnes was appointed by then-Mayor Bruce Harrell in late 2024. He previously headed the Madison Police Department in Wisconsin. Wilson, a democratic socialist who had previously supported cutting the police budget, signaled upon taking office this year that she would not make radical changes to public safety strategy by keeping Barnes in his post.
Barnes' resignation was announced as Seattle prepared for another major weekend event, the annual Seafair festival, which begins on Friday.
