Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson relieved Police Chief Shon Barnes of his duties on Wednesday night, July 29, 2026, according to five sources reported by FOX 13 Seattle.
The sudden dismissal came after Barnes abruptly canceled scheduled media interviews Wednesday afternoon and left early from a silent vigil at Seattle Center for the victims of the Bite of Seattle shooting to meet with the mayor.
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City officials and the police department faced criticism over a delayed news conference following the Sunday night shooting on July 26.
Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis eventually held the Sunday evening briefing while Barnes was out of town attending a law enforcement conference in Dallas.
After attending a joint news conference with Mayor Wilson on Monday morning, video captured a tense exchange between Chief Barnes and a reporter regarding the department's handling of the incident.
Former Mayor Bruce Harrell appointed Barnes in 2024 to succeed interim Chief Sue Rahr.
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Barnes previously led the Madison, Wisconsin Police Department starting in 2021, where he oversaw decreases in violent crime and property offenses while increasing female officer representation to 28 percent.
Upon taking office in Seattle in 2025, Barnes launched a series of community forums and introduced an initiative called Seattle-Centric Policing.
The data-driven plan targeted localized crime trends, such as gun violence and property damage, alongside a community policing pilot program that assigned dedicated pairs of officers to specific neighborhoods.
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Mayor Wilson requested Police Chief Shon Barnes to resign on Wednesday night following criticisms over shooting response times.
