Seattle's former police chief, Shon Barnes, has publicly hit back at Mayor Katie Wilson after being fired, defending his practice of travelling out of the city, including to visit family in Chicago and attending law enforcement conferences, while serving in the role. The row intensified after Barnes was in Texas at a conference when a shooting at a Seattle food festival left three people dead and four wounded, prompting criticism that his absence hampered the response and public communication. Barnes argues his dismissal was really driven by Wilson's wish to install her own choice of police chief, a claim that adds a political dimension to what began as a dispute over his travel.

Barnes, 55, said he learned of the shooting within minutes while attending a conference of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives on 26 July, immediately notified the mayor's office and his superior, Alison Holcomb, and briefed command staff via Zoom before flying back the next morning. He insists the only difference had he been present would have been how media briefings were handled, noting a five-hour delay in informing the public and inaccuracies in the mayor's official statement. Scrutiny grew after reports that his department failed to promptly warn residents a second armed suspect was at large and did not activate the AlertSeattle emergency notification system; Barnes was also filmed in a heated exchange with a reporter who questioned his whereabouts.