NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson accepted embattled Police Chief Shon Barnes’ resignation Thursday following mounting criticism over his handling of a deadly mass shooting, his absence from the city and other controversies.
Barnes was asked to resign during a meeting with the democratic socialist Wilson after he abruptly left a silent vigil for the victims of Sunday’s Bite of Seattle shooting, five sources told FOX 13 Seattle.
Wilson’s office announced Thursday evening that she had accepted Barnes’ resignation.
Wilson appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles, a law enforcement veteran with more than two decades of experience, to serve as interim police chief.
SEATTLE POLICE CHIEF SNAPS OVER CHICAGO HOME QUESTIONS, ABSENCE FROM CITY AFTER MASS SHOOTING
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, right, snapped at a reporter who questioned how often he is in the city, whose family lives in Chicago, seen at right. (Fox 13 Seattle and Aytac Unal/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Chief Barnes has served this department and this city with dedication, and I am grateful for his service,” Wilson said in a statement.
“The courage and professionalism that the officers of the Seattle Police Department showed deserves to be honored. I share Chief Barnes’ hope that we can return our focus to addressing youth gun violence and ensuring that every family can feel safe in their neighborhood and across the city.”
Barnes said in a statement that it had been an “honor” to serve the Seattle Police Department and the city.
“The members of this department show up every single day with professionalism and dedication, and what they did in the aftermath of the Bite of Seattle tragedy reflects the very best of who they are,” Barnes said.
Barnes said he remains confident in the department’s future and its community policing efforts, while calling youth gun violence Seattle’s most pressing public safety challenge.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, center, and Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, left, attend the vigil for victims the day after a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival, Monday, July 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
“I am proud of the work we have done, believe in the direction the city is headed, and have full confidence that the department will achieve success in tackling its most urgent public safety challenge, addressing youth gun violence and preventing more tragedies,” Barnes said. “That work is too important, and Seattle deserves nothing less.”
Barnes was feeling the heat from the media for his alleged frequent weekend absences, reportedly due to the fact he is originally from Chicago, where his family still resides.
THIRD SUSPECT EMERGES IN DEADLY SEATTLE MASS SHOOTING, ONE ALLEGED GUNMAN FOUND DEAD
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, criticized for not attending a mass shooting news conference Sunday, speaks during a vigil a day after the Bite of Seattle food festival shooting at Seattle Center. (David Ryder)
“Those reports are wrong, do you understand?” Barnes told a reporter during a tense exchange earlier in the week.
A staffer stepped between Barnes and the reporter as the chief defended his commitment to the city.
The confrontation followed criticism of Barnes’ absence when gunfire erupted Sunday evening outside the Seattle Center Armory during the Bite of Seattle festival. Seven people were struck, including three who died and four who were hospitalized.
Barnes was in Dallas attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives’ annual conference when the shooting occurred. Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis eventually led the department’s first public briefing several hours after the gunfire, a delay that drew criticism from residents and local officials seeking information about the attack.
Barnes appeared alongside Wilson at another news conference Monday and defended being out of town during the crisis.
“I wish that I had a crystal ball, and we could schedule gun violence, but we can’t,” Barnes said.
Notably, amid the reports of Barnes’ ouster by Wilson, there is an 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. local) protest planned at Seattle City Hall by Black community leaders, including the Seattle NAACP, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle and the MLK Coalition, according to posts on X.
Embattled Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes reportedly did not make it through a Wednesday night meeting with Seattle Democrat Mayor Katie Wilson after a week of controversy after the weekend mass shooting. (Scott Olson/David Ryder)
Barnes had been expected to address questions about his travel and residency during one-on-one interviews with local media Wednesday. Those interviews were abruptly canceled, and the department released portions of his calendar instead. Hours later, Barnes attended the 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. local) vigil at Seattle Center before leaving for his meeting with Wilson.
The removal represents a sharp reversal for Wilson, who had previously announced that she would retain Barnes and work with him to emphasize professionalism, accountability, compassion and community partnership within the department.
Barnes was appointed and sworn in just a year ago by Wilson’s predecessor after a nationwide search, bringing on the police leader from the Midwest to the Great Northwest.
Barnes previously led the police department in Madison, Wisconsin, and held law enforcement leadership positions in Chicago, as well as Greensboro and Salisbury, North Carolina.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
After arriving in Seattle, Barnes promoted a data-driven strategy he called “Seattle-Centric Policing,” which identified precinct-level crime priorities and emphasized cooperation among officers, businesses, schools, government agencies and community organizations.
Barnes’ departure leaves the department facing another leadership transition as detectives investigate one of the city’s deadliest recent acts of gun violence. A 15-year-old has been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting, while police continue seeking evidence and other people believed to have been involved.
Fox News’ Adam Sabes and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
