Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes became visibly agitated when questioned by a reporter about his whereabouts during a recent mass shooting and how often he is present in the city. The incident occurred following a shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival that resulted in three deaths and four injuries.
Barnes, who was in Dallas, Texas, for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives' annual conference when the shooting took place, pushed back against reports suggesting he frequently spends weekends out of town. His family resides in Chicago, a fact that has drawn scrutiny.
"Those reports are wrong, do you understand?" Barnes said to the reporter, requiring a staff member to intervene. He added, "I have been here working as hard as I can for this city from the day I got here, you got that?"
When asked about his travel frequency to Chicago, Barnes stated, "Certainly I don't travel as often as I would like to." He further clarified that reports of him being away every weekend are "grossly misstated" due to financial constraints, asserting his commitment to Seattle. "I'm here in Seattle. I love the neighborhood. I love my community, they love me," he said.
Seattle police are investigating the shooting, which they believe stemmed from a conflict between small groups. The event occurred Sunday evening at the Bite of Seattle annual food festival. Mayor Katie Wilson described the incident as a situation where a teenager opened fire into a crowd.
