Seattle police chief criticized for being out of town during mass shooting

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes came under public scrutiny after he was attending a law-enforcement conference in Dallas, Texas, when a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival left three dead and four injured. The incident, which involved multiple shooters firing at each other, occurred on Sunday evening.

Barnes responded to reporters questioning his presence in the city, saying reports that he spends most weekends away were inaccurate. > "Those reports are wrong, do you understand?" he said, before a staff member intervened. He added that he works hard for Seattle and that his family lives in Chicago, noting he does not travel as often as he would like.

Mayor Katie Wilson, identified as a Democratic Socialist, said investigators believe a teenager opened fire in the crowd, though details remain under investigation. The Seattle Police Department has not provided further comment.