Seattle police chief resigns, days after food festival shooting

BREAKING NEWSJul. 31, 2026, 12:05 AM UTCGuns in AmericaGuns in AmericaSeattle police chief resigns, days after food festival shootingA reason for Chief Shon Barnes’ resignation was not disclosed. There have been questions this week over the release of information about Sunday shooting that killed two bystanders.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes speaks during a vigil Monday, a day after the "Bite of Seattle" food festival shooting at Seattle Center.David Ryder / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Phil HelselSeattle’s police chief resigned from his post Thursday, days after there were questions about the release of information following a shooting at a food festival that left two bystanders dead.Mayor Katie B. Wilson accepted a letter resignation from Police Chief Shon Barnes, she said in a statement released by the police department. The statement does not say why Barnes resigned.Barnes, who was appointed to head the department in 2024 by the previous mayor, was questioned along with Wilson about initial reports that two suspected shooters had been arrested after Sunday’s violence at the Bite of Seattle event, when only one had been arrested.“We understand that people are angry. You should be. Everyone should be angry,” Barnes said at a Monday news conference. There were also questions about a five-hour delay in the official release of more information in the wake of Sunday’s shooting, which occurred around 6 p.m. “We want to get out information as early and as often as possible. It is unfortunate that sometimes in any situation, early information is sometimes incorrect,” Barnes said then. He said that the department would look at how to do better in the future.Deputy Chief Andre Sayles was named interim police chief, the statement about the resignation said.Wilson said in Thursday’s statement that “Chief Barnes has served this department and this city with dedication, and I am grateful for his servi...