Seattle councilmembers blast Mayor Katie Wilson’s ‘lack of experience’ and ‘incompetence’ after forcing out police chief

The criticism comes after Wilson announced Thursday that she had accepted Barnes' resignation after asking him to step down in the days following the shooting that left three people dead and several others wounded near the Seattle Space Needle during the annual Bite of Seattle food festival.

While Barnes faced mounting scrutiny over his response to the shooting, including attending a conference in Dallas when the shooting occurred, the delayed public briefing, questions surrounding his travel schedule, and that he never moved to Seattle, multiple members of the Seattle City Council said Wilson's handling of the situation has created even greater instability for the city.

Councilmember Maritza Rivera questioned both Wilson's silence and her decision to force Barnes out. "It has been 24 hours since rumors started swirling about the firing of Chief Barnes, and we have not heard one word from Mayor Wilson. This is unacceptable," Rivera said.

Rivera then directly blamed the mayor's leadership. "If true, the impulsive and reckless decision to fire Chief Shon Barnes is the latest in a series of missteps, including her inadequate response to serious gun violence in our city. Her lack of experience and her incompetence have led to poor decision making and put the safety of our communities at risk."

Rather than faulting the chief, Rivera argued Wilson was attempting to shift blame for the city's response to the mass shooting. "SPD's and Fire's handling of the tragic events at Seattle Center was stellar; I have heard that directly from people who were there," Rivera said. "Instead of commending Chief Barnes' department for its swift and effective response, it is clear, and very unfortunate, that the mayor has decided to play politics and to pin her delayed and inadequate response to this weekend's tragedy on a well-respected and effective police chief."

Following Wilson's announcement, Council President Joy Hollingsworth joined Public Safety Committee Chair Bob Kettle and Councilmembers Dan Strauss and Debora Juarez in releasing a joint statement expressing disappointment over Barnes' departure.

"Our city faces profound public safety challenges, from youth gun violence destroying lives to drug markets and human trafficking plaguing our neighborhoods," they said. The councilmembers argued that Seattle needs continuity in police leadership rather than another abrupt transition. "When communities are grieving, major decisions should be made with great deliberation; making a significant leadership change in this moment puts our city in a precarious situation."

Noting that Seattle has cycled through four police chiefs in just two and a half years, they added, "Our priority must be stability, not further disruption."

The group said the city's focus should instead be on reducing gun violence, improving coordination among public safety agencies, and ensuring residents receive timely emergency alerts. "We stand with community members who came forward today to express their support for Chief Barnes and the work he has been doing. We are disappointed to see his departure and thank him for his service."

Councilmember Rob Saka also sharply criticized Wilson's decision Thursday, saying he was blindsided by the mayor's move and believed Barnes was being unfairly blamed for broader failures.

Saka told FOX 13 Seattle that he learned Barnes was being removed at the same time as the public and criticized the lack of communication from the mayor's office. "I was caught off guard. I was blindsided," Saka said.

He argued that Barnes should not be made "a scapegoat" for the city's broader public safety challenges and warned that removing one of Seattle's few Black police chiefs risked undermining recent progress in public safety and community trust.

Barnes' resignation followed several days of intense public scrutiny after the Bite of Seattle shooting. The chief was in Dallas attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives conference when the shooting occurred. The department did not hold its first formal press briefing until nearly five hours later, even while a suspect was known to be at large, and the city did not send an emergency alert to people gathered around Seattle Center despite the unfolding investigation.

In the days that followed, Barnes acknowledged that his wife and children continue to live in the Chicago area while he maintained an apartment in Seattle. Records later released by the department showed extensive travel during his tenure, and Barnes canceled a scheduled interview with multiple local outlets. On Wednesday evening, Barnes also left a vigil for the victims of the shooting before it even began.

Before coming to Seattle, Barnes faced criticism during his tenure as police chief in Madison, Wisconsin, over his handling of public questions following the 2024 Abundant Life Christian School shooting and later became involved in a dispute with that city's independent police oversight office before being hired by then-Mayor Bruce Harrell.

Wilson has not publicly detailed why she requested Barnes' resignation. A press conference is scheduled for Friday.

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