Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes is reported to have been fired following criticism of the police response to a deadly shooting in the city, according to multiple outlets. Reports state that the firing follows public and media scrutiny of how Barnes handled events connected to the incident.
One report says Barnes was removed after he was filmed confronting a reporter who asked questions about the deadly shooting. Another report says the chief faced additional criticism for the response to the shooting, including claims that he was out of town when three people were killed during a mass shooting at a food festival. Both accounts describe the decision as resulting from increasing pressure and negative coverage surrounding the city’s handling of the incident and Barnes’s conduct and response.
The reports do not provide full details in the text provided on the official reasons given by city leadership or any specific findings from an investigation. The exact timing of events, whether Barnes was directly involved in on-the-ground command during the incident, and the precise circumstances of the confrontation with the reporter are described only generally in these accounts.
