On Sunday, Seattle faced a tragic ending to its food festival: two people exchanged gunfire, leading to three deaths and four injuries. The Bite of Seattle festival, which was ending that day, was not the target of any attack. One person, a 15-year-old, was taken into custody, while another remains at large, but the city’s alert system was not activated. No one was aware of the shooting or the second shooter, who still has not been caught.
Advertisement
There are no details on the shooting, and the local media were angered when the initial press conference was delayed five hours, reportedly on the police department’s order, citing the arrival of dignitaries—Gov. Bob Ferguson and Rep. Pramila Jayapal—who wanted to attend. However, it remains unclear who ordered the delay, as the offices of both politicians were unaware of any press conference until 10 PM on the night of the shooting. Police Chief Shon Barnes wasn’t even in when this happened.
BREAKING | The records appear to show Barnes was out of the office and outside the Seattle area nearly a dozen times during a four-month period, including seven work-related conferences and four trips to Chicago, where Barnes has family.https://t.co/YVyyADGWPx
— KOMO News (@komonews) July 30, 2026
Barnes has since faced questions about his attendance, especially after this shooting. Why wasn’t he there? He argued with local media when pressed. We understand police chiefs need to travel and attend conferences, but it’s a different matter when this guy isn’t around. He lives in Chicago, by the way. Let’s hope the CCTV footage has been analyzed, because 17 hours after the shooting, it hadn’t. It’s a public relations fiasco, and Mayor Katie Wilson decided to fire Barnes (via Fox13 Seattle):
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes was relieved of his duties Wednesday night by Mayor Katie Wilson, five different sources tell FOX 13 Seattle.
According to sources, Barnes began texting individuals Wednesday night discussing his dismissal. Barnes had been scheduled to conduct 1-on-1 interviews with Seattle media Wednesday afternoon, but those interviews were abruptly canceled. At 6:30 p.m., he appeared at a silent vigil for victims of the Bite of Seattle shooting. He left abruptly, and sources tell FOX 13 he had a meeting with the mayor after the vigil.
[…]
On Sunday night, July 26, the Seattle Police Department and city officials faced criticism after waiting several hours to hold a news conference about the Bite of Seattle shooting.
Seattle police Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis finally provided an update at a Sunday evening briefing, which Chief Shon Barnes did not attend.
Recommended
Advertisement
BREAKING: Sources tell me @SeattlePD Chief Shon Barnes will be OUT as @SeattlePD chief as early as tomorrow. Mayor Katie Wilson has not confirmed, but he’s been told to resign or be fired. Getting a flurry of messages from officers who say City Hall is in absolute, rudderless… pic.twitter.com/uQggmnh30z
— Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) July 30, 2026
Fox is reporting it. https://t.co/6IgqsRskBW
— Jason Rantz on Seattle Red (@jasonrantz) July 30, 2026
It sounds like he is being told to quit to avoid termination. The mayor doesn’t want to deal with that. Barnes, however, won’t likely want to go quietly.
— Jason Rantz on Seattle Red (@jasonrantz) July 30, 2026
Total fiasco.
Multiple sources saying @SeattlePD Chief Shon Barnes is telling people he has been fired. @MayorofSeattle has NOT confirmed this. At a time when her office is under fire for confusing and slow communication, clarity TONIGHT would be good.
— Jeremy Harris (@JeremyHarrisTV) July 30, 2026
It was later determined that one of the three people killed in the shooting was one of the shooters. Yes, he had a criminal history.
NEW: Records show 19-year-old Junior Niko-Semo, the shooter who died in the Bite of Seattle shooting, had previously been charged with possessing a handgun that was modified with Glock switch.
Investigators recovered a gun with a Glock switch at the scene Sunday. @komonews pic.twitter.com/kiv2TlJHKL
— Jeremy Harris (@JeremyHarrisTV) July 30, 2026
Advertisement
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical Left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
National Headline