Seattle police chief resigns amid fallout from mass shooting, mayor names interim chief

SEATTLE — Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has resigned, and Mayor Katie Wilson has appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles to serve as interim chief, the mayor’s office announced Thursday afternoon. The abrupt change of leadership comes just days after the mass shooting at Bite of Seattle that left three dead and injured four others. The Mayor's Office and Chief Barnes have come under scrutiny in the last week about the communication with reporters and the public Sunday night and in the days following. In a press release issued just after 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Wilson said she accepted Barnes’ letter of resignation.

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open WJAR

Scoop News DeskSeattle, Washington · Published Friday, July 31, 2026 at 1:17 AM UTCUpdated Friday, July 31, 2026 at 3:00 AM UTC

Scoop News reporting summary

The text below was supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app. Third-party reporting is attributed in the source panel.

I share Chief Barnes’ hope that we can return our focus to addressing youth gun violence and ensuring that every family can feel safe in their neighborhood and across the city.” Mayor Katie Wilson's Office then released a video statement on social media Thursday afternoon explaining the "real gaps" that have been uncovered in the city's communication strategies following the mass shooting at Bite of Seattle on Sunday, July 26. I hope this transition gives the city and this department the opportunity to return full focus to what matters most, addressing youth gun violence and preventing more tragedies.

Breaking news moves fast. Follow @Will466513 on X for breaking news alerts. Follow on X →

Story timeline