Live newsroomScoop NewsLast newsroom update: Jul 31, 10:17 AM

Live source delayed — keeping the latest verified scores on screen while the desk reconnects.

Supporters rally for police chief amid reports he was ousted after Seattle Center mass shooting

UPDATE — July 30, 2026: Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes would step down , and Deputy Chief Andre Sayles will serve as interim chief, according to a statement from Mayor Katie Wilson’s office that was sent around 3:30 p.m. Has Seattle Chief Shon Barnes lost his job? That’s the word around City Hall, but as of noon on Thursday, the public doesn’t know for sure. Mayor Katie Wilson’s office still has not released an official statement. Rumors swirled wildly late into the night on Wednesday and into Thursday that Wilson had canned Barnes — mere days after a mass shooting at Seattle Center that left five people injured and three dead.

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB

Scoop News DeskSeattle, Washington · Published Friday, July 31, 2026 at 3:13 AM UTCUpdated Friday, July 31, 2026 at 10:17 AM UTC

Coverage image for: Supporters rally for police chief amid reports he was ousted after Seattle Center mass shooting

Media link supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app.

Scoop News reporting summary

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

It’s also become a major distraction for a department that is four days into an investigation into a mass shooting — with at least one suspect presumed to be at large. Barnes was scheduled to sit down with KUOW for an interview Wednesday at 4:45 p.m. to address his travel, but he cancelled at the last minute.

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

Transparent record

Story timeline

Dated changes to this report are shown here as they are published.

Version 2unpublished
Friday, July 31, 2026 at 5:46 AM UTC
Removed by Scoope Timeline eligibility policy
Version 3updated
Friday, July 31, 2026 at 6:45 AM UTC
UPDATE — July 30, 2026: Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes would step down , and Deputy Chief Andre Sayles will serve as interim chief, according to a statement from Mayor Katie Wilson’s office that was sent around 3:30 p.m. Has Seattle Chief Shon Barnes lost his job? That’s the word around City Hall, but as of noon on Thursday, the public doesn’t know for sure. Mayor Katie Wilson’s office still has not released an official statement. Rumors swirled wildly late into the night on Wednesday and into Thursday that Wilson had canned Barnes — mere days after a mass shooting at Seattle Center that left five people injured and three dead.
Version 4unpublished
Friday, July 31, 2026 at 10:17 AM UTC
Removed by Scoope Timeline eligibility policy