Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson reportedly relieved embattled Police Chief Shon Barnes of his duties Wednesday night following mounting criticism over his absence from the city and the department’s delayed public response to a mass shooting, a run-in with a reporter and questions over his frequently being out of the city.
Barnes was asked to resign during a meeting with the democratic socialist Wilson after he abruptly left a silent vigil for the victims of Sunday’s Bite of Seattle shooting, five sources told FOX 13 Seattle.
It is unclear if Barnes accepted Wilson's call for resignation or was ultimately fired.
Barnes had canceled a series of scheduled interviews earlier Wednesday and later began texting people about his dismissal, according to the report. The mayor’s office and Seattle Police Department had not publicly confirmed the change or announced who would lead the department next.
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Barnes was feeling the heat from the media for his alleged frequent weekend absences, reportedly due to the fact he is originally from Chicago, where his family still resides.
"Those reports are wrong, do you understand?" Barnes told a reporter during a tense exchange earlier in the week.
A staffer stepped between Barnes and the reporter as the chief defended his commitment to the city.
The confrontation followed criticism of Barnes’ absence when gunfire erupted Sunday evening outside the Seattle Center Armory during the Bite of Seattle festival. Seven people were struck, including three who died and four who were hospitalized.
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Barnes was in Dallas attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives’ annual conference when the shooting occurred. Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis eventually led the department’s first public briefing several hours after the gunfire, a delay that drew criticism from residents and local officials seeking information about the attack.
Barnes appeared alongside Wilson at another news conference Monday and defended being out of town during the crisis.
"I wish that I had a crystal ball, and we could schedule gun violence, but we can’t," Barnes said.
Notably, amid the reports of Barnes' ouster by Wilson, there is an 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. local) protest planned at Seattle City Hall by Black community leaders, including the Seattle NAACP, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle and the MLK Coalition, according to posts on X.
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Barnes had been expected to address questions about his travel and residency during one-on-one interviews with local media Wednesday. Those interviews were abruptly canceled, and the department released portions of his calendar instead. Hours later, Barnes attended the 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. local) vigil at Seattle Center before leaving for his meeting with Wilson.
The reported removal represents a sharp reversal for Wilson, who had previously announced that she would retain Barnes and work with him to emphasize professionalism, accountability, compassion and community partnership within the department.
Barnes was appointed and sworn in just a year ago by Wilson's predecessor after a nationwide search, bringing on the police leader from the Midwest to the Great Northwest.
Barnes previously led the police department in Madison, Wisconsin, and held law enforcement leadership positions in Chicago, as well as Greensboro and Salisbury, North Carolina.
After arriving in Seattle, Barnes promoted a data-driven strategy he called "Seattle-Centric Policing," which identified precinct-level crime priorities and emphasized cooperation among officers, businesses, schools, government agencies and community organizations.
Barnes’ departure leaves the department facing another leadership transition as detectives investigate one of the city’s deadliest recent acts of gun violence. A 15-year-old has been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting, while police continue seeking evidence and other people believed to have been involved.
Fox News' Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
