Following a shooting at Seattle Center's food festival, three people were left dead and one of the suspected shooters was still at large. Witnesses and the media had to wait hours for a press conference that was delayed, in part, because Gov. Bob Ferguson and Rep. Pramila Jayapal wanted to join (but ultimately didn't).
Police Chief Shon Barnes wasn't even in the state when the shooting happened, and he got testy with reporters who asked him about it. But now it turns out Barnes doesn't even live in the city of Seattle. He travels back and forth to Chicago, where his family lives.
INSANE: Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes was asked by @choeshow how often he travels to Chicago, where he lives, to see his wife and kids.
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) July 28, 2026
Barnes replies, "I don't travel as often as I would like to," then turns to Socialist Mayor Katie Wilson and says, "Affordability is… pic.twitter.com/uDNoLCxI9j
"Part of being a leader is being here, being visible, and being present," Barnes said. "You know, part of being a leader in a major city is that sometimes I have obligations and I wanted to be at the conference to support one of our community members who was getting an award and one of our community service officers that was also getting an award from the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives."
That's why Barnes was in Dallas during the shooting.
He was then asked about travel to Chicago.
"Certainly I don't travel as often as I would like to," he said. "I think any reports that I'm gone every weekend are grossly misstated. I don't have that kind of money. I'm here in Seattle, I love the neighborhood that I live in. I have loved my community, they love me, they know me, they see me all the time. I don't love the rent that I'm paying, but, affordability is something we're working on, is that right, Mayor? So I feel good about being here in Seattle, I love this community."
So he can pay for an apartment in Seattle, and housing in Chicago. No wonder he doesn't have the money to fly home every weekend.
I lived near San Diego for almost 40 years. The vast majority of men and women who served as Chief of Police during that time had been with SDPD for decades before they got the job. They knew the city and its people.
— DavidM-B (@DMacyBeckwith) July 29, 2026
Chief Barnes has no connection with Seattle and clearly would…
How did he get the job?
This writer was once a lowly secretary for the City of Milwaukee, making far less than $374,000 a year, and she had to live in the city limits for that desk job.
Chief, Mayor and all city council members should all live in Seattle, not surrounding area.
— Bryan McNally (@4CatRanch) July 29, 2026
Yes. They should live right where their policies do the most damage.
The black population of Seattle is 6.8% 100% of @SeattlePD command staff and PIO are black
— Travis Neliton 🇺🇸 (@Tneliton) July 28, 2026
Where are the cries of representation?
Guaranteed the taxpayer is covering his travel. https://t.co/ClbdsshuAF pic.twitter.com/K9BVJJaicR
— PNW Conservative (@PNWConservative) July 28, 2026
We would be shocked if the taxpayers weren't.
Barnes was also the police chief in Madison, Wisconsin.
We paid for a bi-coastal* lifestyle for former Madison, Wisconsin police chief Shon Barnes, and what we the tax payer received in return was an unsafe, downtrodden Madison, Wisconsin.
— Jordan Snyder (@EmperorSnyder) July 28, 2026
The (Mid) West has also fallen. https://t.co/45vTLlUR0w
We all saw the mess he left in that city.
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