Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes was reportedly relieved of his duties by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson on the evening of Wednesday, July 30th, 2026, following mounting criticism regarding his absence from the city and the police department’s delayed public response to the recent Bite of Seattle mass shooting.

According to five sources cited by FOX 13 Seattle, Barnes was asked to resign during a meeting with Mayor Wilson after he abruptly left a silent vigil for the victims of the Sunday shooting. It remains unclear whether Barnes accepted the resignation request or was formally fired. Earlier that day, Barnes had canceled several scheduled interviews and began texting contacts about his dismissal.

The mayor’s office and the Seattle Police Department have not publicly confirmed the leadership change or announced who will succeed Barnes as police chief.

Barnes had previously promoted a data-driven strategy called "Seattle-Centric Policing," which focused on precinct-level crime priorities and emphasized cooperation among officers, businesses, schools, government agencies, and community organizations.

In response to the situation, a protest is planned for 8 a.m. local time 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 social media platform X.

Barnes’s tenure had been marked by controversy, including a run-in with a reporter and questions about his frequent absences from the city following the mass shooting.

Notable quotes from the situation include, "Those reports are wrong, do you understand?" and "I wish that I had a crystal ball and we could schedule gun violence, but we can’t," reflecting the challenges faced by city officials in addressing gun violence.

Sources