Former Madison Police chief Shon Barnes has been fired as chief of the Seattle Police Department, according to a July 30 article in My Northwest.
Barnes, who had been police chief in Seattle since January 2025, was fired by Mayor Katie Wilson after being given the option to resign or be fired, and he chose not to resign.
Barnes was criticized by some in the community when he was not in town to respond to a shooting on July 26, the final day of the Bite of Seattle event. Three were killed and four were injured in the shooting, including a 2-year-old child.
Barnes told the media he was out of town attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives Conference in Dallas.
According to the Seattle Medium, a coalition of Black community organizations is attempting to meet with Wilson to urge her to reconsider the decision to remove Barnes.
