Seattle is grappling with a controversial issue as their police chief faces backlash for being out of town during a deadly mass shooting. Chief Shon Barnes was away from the city when gunfire erupted, leaving three dead at Sunday’s chaotic scene. His frequent absences, due to his family’s residence in Chicago, have sparked a heated debate over his commitment to the role.
The violence broke out at Seattle Center during the annual Bite of Seattle food festival, where shots erupted, claiming the lives of three individuals and injuring four more. The tragic event unfolded as possibly three shooters exchanged fire, tragically ensnaring innocent festival-goers in the turmoil.
Chief Shon Barnes was criticized for being in Dallas, Texas when the shooting occurred. He was attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives’ annual conference at the time, fueling further scrutiny regarding his duties to the city amidst such critical incidents.
In the aftermath, Chief Barnes addressed the community at a vigil held a day after the Seattle Center tragedy, on July 27, 2026. As somber faces gathered, Seattle mourned the loss of three lives cut short and prayed for the recovery of the four wounded. (David Ryder/Getty Images)
“I wish that I had a crystal ball and we could schedule gun violence, but we can’t,” Barnes lamented, addressing the unforeseeable nature of such tragedies.
Barnes also snapped at a reporter who questioned how often he’s actually in Seattle, citing a PubliCola report that the chief spends most weekends out of town, where his family lives in Chicago.
“Those reports are wrong, do you understand?” Barnes said while a staffer had to hold him back, saying “let’s go.”
Seattle Police respond to mass shooting on Sunday. (KCPQ)
“I have been here working as hard as I can for this city from the day I got here, you got that?” Barnes said.
When asked separately how much time he spends in Chicago, Barnes said, “Certainly I don’t travel as often as I would like to.”
“Any reports that I am gone every weekend are grossly misstated. I don’t have that kind of money. I’m here in Seattle. I love the neighborhood. I love my community, they love me,” he said.
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, right, snapped at a reporter who questioned how often he is in the city, whose family lives in Chicago. (Fox 13 Seattle and Aytac Unal/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Seattle police believed a conflict between small groups appeared to have been the cause of the shooting.
“We believe this teenager opened fire in the crowd, but details are still under investigation,” Democratic Socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said.
News Media has reached out to the Seattle Police Department for comment.