Seattle Police Chief Resigns After Food Festival Shooting

Shon Barnes, the senior security coordinator for the annual Harvest Food Festival, announced his resignation on Thursday, citing a need to “focus on personal and professional responsibilities.” The decision follows a series of inquiries into how local police and festival organizers responded to the shooting that occurred on Saturday night, which left three attendees injured and one fatality.

The incident, which took place near the festival’s central stage in downtown Springfield, prompted an immediate cordon and a review of crowd‑control protocols. Investigators are examining whether the rapid deployment of emergency services and the decision to continue the event after the shooting were consistent with state safety regulations. Barnes, who had overseen security operations for the festival since 2015, stated that his departure would allow the investigation to proceed without conflict of interest. The festival organizers have pledged to cooperate fully with the inquiry and to implement any recommended changes to prevent a recurrence.