Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes abruptly canceled a scheduled interview with KOMO News on Wednesday, just before he was to address his frequent travel schedule and the department's response to a deadly shooting at Seattle Center.
The shooting on Sunday left three people dead and several others injured. Barnes was attending a conference in Dallas at the time.
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The incident sparked public criticism over limited official information and the city's failure to send an emergency text alert to nearby residents.
Travel Records Released
Department records released by the chief's office show Barnes was out of the Seattle area nearly a dozen times between late March and late July.
The logs include seven work-related conferences in cities such as Detroit, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Washington, D.
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C. , and Dallas, along with four personal trips to Chicago.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Barnes defended his attendance record and commitment to his role, addressing criticism about his absences.
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The canceled interview has intensified scrutiny of his travel habits and the department's communication during emergencies.
