Your Daily Guide

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes Officially Resigns

In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Mayor Katie Wilson announced that she had accepted the resignation of Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, and that Deputy Chief Andre Sayles would serve as the interim chief. The news follows the shooting at Seattle Center that left three dead and eight injured, which put a spotlight on the police department’s response. [Seattle Times]

• Criticism of SPD response: Barnes was out of town when the shooting occurred at Seattle Center on Sunday, he was attending a law enforcement conference. Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis stepped in to address the media at 11 p.m., almost five hours after the shooting. Barnes had also previously been out of town during a shooting in Rainier Valley that killed two teenagers.
• Frequent travels: Barnes’ family is in Chicago and he rents an apartment here in Seattle. PubliCola reports that according to schedules provided by SPD, Barnes has been out of town nearly seven weeks this year so far. During a press conference earlier this week, Barnes had a heated exchange with a local reporter who asked him about his travels.
• Confusion and pushback: Late Wednesday night, PubliCola’s Erica C. Barnett was the first to report that Shon Barnes would no longer be Seattle’s police chief. By Thursday morning, a group of Black leaders gathered at 8 a.m. for a rally in support of Barnes and published an open letter to Mayor Wilson urging her to retain Barnes. By mid-Thursday, there was still no official confirmation of Barnes’ status; he told the Seattle Times that the decision was ‘up to the mayor,’ and as the day went on, city councilmembers issued statements or talked with local reporters about Barnes’ apparent dismissal, urging the mayor to make a public statement.
• Mayor confirms resignation: Late Thursday, Mayor Wilson confirmed Barnes’ resignation and recorded a video message for the public acknowledging that miscommunication between the Mayor’s Office and the police department led to a delayed response the night of the shooting. Deputy chief Andre Sayles will serve as interim chief as of today.
• Gun violence and Seattle: Contributor Marcus Harrison Green joined us on the podcast today to discuss an op-ed he wrote about how South Seattle families have suffered from gun violence long before it hit Seattle Center. Contributor Chase Hutchinson, who was at Seattle Center during the shooting, also joins Marcus and host Jane C. Hu.

📖 CID Library branch re-opens: Library lovers rejoice! After being closed since May 11 due to mysterious odors, the CID Library returned to its regular hours. The affected areas have been cleaned and sealed off, and the library has been deep-cleaned. [International Examiner]

🔥 Help Native Nations hit by wildfires: Wildfires are burning across the PNW and are hitting Native lands hard. The Kaiser Canyon fire, currently the largest in Washington state, has already taken two dozen homes on the Colville Reservation. To find out what items they need and how to donate, visit Underscore Native News.

🦇 Rabid bat found in Renton: King County Public Health reports that a rabid bat was found at Renton’s Gene Coulon Park. Rabies, once symptomatic, is fatal, so please don’t touch any bats you see. If you do touch a bat, please seek medical evaluation or call Public Health at 206-296-4474. [Public Health Insider]