Seattle police chief resigns, days after food festival shooting

BREAKING: Seattle police chief resigns days after deadly food festival shooting There are no new alerts at this time Seattle’s police chief resigned Thursday, days after there were questions about the release of information following a shooting at a food festival that left three dead, including two bystanders . Wilson accepted a letter resignation from Police Chief Shon Barnes, she said in a statement released by the police department. The statement does not say why Barnes resigned. Barnes, who was appointed to head the department in 2024 by the previous mayor, was questioned along with Wilson about initial reports that two suspected shooters had been arrested after Sunday’s violence at the Bite of Seattle event, when only one had been arrested. “We understand that people are angry. Everyone should be angry,” Barnes said at a Monday news conference.

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Scoop News DeskSeattle, Washington · Published Friday, July 31, 2026 at 12:05 AM UTCUpdated Friday, July 31, 2026 at 2:30 AM UTC

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Bystanders were killed and injured and crowds ran from the gunfire at the annual three-day event held at Seattle Center, the same complex as the city’s famous Space Needle, officials said. Prosecutors have charged the 15-year-old with one count each of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement, and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

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