Seattle police chief resigns amid fallout from mass shooting, mayor names interim chief
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has resigned his position following a request from Mayor Katie Wilson. The decision arrived just days after a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle left three people dead and several others injured. Mayor Wilson stated that she accepted the resignation on Thursday afternoon, pivoting the department toward new interim leadership to manage the current investigation and ongoing public safety concerns.
Mayor Wilson pointed to significant gaps in the city's communication strategy following the tragedy at the Seattle Center. She highlighted delays in public alerts and failures in the use of existing emergency notification systems as primary factors for the administrative shift. Wilson noted that the public deserved more timely information regarding the status of suspects and the security of the event campus during the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
In response to the leadership change, Mayor Wilson appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles as the interim police chief. Sayles brings over two decades of law enforcement experience to the role, including his previous tenure as a police chief in Wisconsin and his recent work managing homicide and gun violence units within the Seattle Police Department. The mayor confirmed that she plans to conduct a search for a permanent chief while Sayles provides operational stability.
City Council members and the Seattle Police Officers Guild expressed significant concern regarding the timing of this transition. Several council members noted that cycling through leadership during a time of public grief and ongoing violence places the city in a precarious position. The police union voiced similar frustrations, characterizing the move as political turmoil rather than a focused effort to address crime. Community groups also rallied in support of Barnes, citing his active engagement in local events over the past year.
Chief Barnes released a statement through his legal counsel, noting that he believes his resignation serves the best interests of a city still processing the trauma of recent events. He thanked the department staff for their professional service and expressed his hope that the city can now maintain focus on the investigation and the prevention of future violence. Mayor Wilson is expected to hold a press conference at City Hall on Friday to outline the next steps for the department.