Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has resigned following questions about how often he was out of town. Both he and Mayor Katie Wilson faced heavy criticism for the slow release of information following a fatal shooting at Seattle Center on Sunday.
Wilson has appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles as interim police chief.
"I hope this transition gives the city and this department the opportunity to return full focus to what matters most, addressing youth gun violence and preventing more tragedies," he wrote in his letter of resignation to Wilson.
Barnes was hired by former mayor Bruce Harrell in late 2024. Before coming to Seattle, Barnes was the police chief for Madison, Wisconsin.
The announcement follows questions over how long it took police to disseminate information about whether the area around Seattle Center was safe after Sunday's shooting. At that time, Barnes was at a police conference in Dallas.
The incident is believed to be gang related. Three people died from gunshots and at least four were wounded.
Wilson praised his service while leading SPD but also criticized what she called "communication gaps" between the police department and her office Sunday night.
Thursday morning, hours before the mayor confirmed Barnes resignation, dozens of leaders from Seattle’s Black community rallied at City Hall in support of Barnes. The rally was quickly pulled together by civic, faith and business leaders shocked to learn Barnes' job was on the line.
NAACP State Area Conference President Sheley Secrest said one of their messages to the mayor: be inclusive.
“When you have a decision that impacts the Black community, get the Black community together before taking action,” Secrest said.
Bishop Reggie Witherspoon of Seattle’s Mount Calvary Christian Center helped lead the rally, and spoke to reporters prior to Barnes’ resignation.
"This is a rash decision that's not well-advised. It seems to be a decision that shows some inexperience and some lack of wisdom,” Witherspoon said.
“We honor the mayor, we honor the position that she walks and we want to help her to succeed. We want the police department to succeed. When these entities succeed, we all succeed. So, it's not one against the other, it's all of us together."
When asked if Barnes were to leave, Witherspoon said the Black community will respond in what he called, "exponential fashion."
Witherspoon was among a handful of Black leaders who met with Wilson after Thursday’s rally.
After Barnes resigned, four Seattle City Councilmembers, including council president Joy Hollingsworth, issued a joint statement in support of the outgoing chief. They also cautioned 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 our a busy summer of public events," the statement read.
In a separate statement, Councilmember Maritza Rivera said the mayor’s “lack of experience and her incompetence have led to poor decision making and put the safety of our communities at risk.”
The mayor's office did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Instead, Wilson posted a video to social media in the evening, crediting officers at the scene of the shooting while also criticizing how information was relayed to the public in the hours after the incident.
"Every SPD and city staff member on scene responded with care and professionalism. It was the very best of Seattle. However, our after action review of the city's communication with the public and the media revealed real gaps," she said.
Wilson said she did not know how little had been communicated to the public hours after the shooting occurred. She said if she had known about the delay, she would have pushed for an immediate press briefing.
In the video, Wilson said there was a miscommunication between her office and the Seattle Police Department.
She said the city should have used the Alert Seattle system to communicate updates to the public about the situation. This is the same system the city used frequently to make drivers aware of crowded places to avoid during the World Cup.
Wilson held a press conference Friday to introduce interim police chief Sayles and answer more questions about her decision.
