Who is Andre Sayles? What we know about new interim Seattle Police Chief
Seattle mayor Katie Wilson announces resignation of police chief Shon Barnes
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has resigned, and Mayor Katie B. Wilson appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles as the interim chief. Mayor Wilson and Sayles will hold a press conference at City Hall on Friday at 11 a.m. to discuss the transition and the search for a permanent chief.
SEATTLE - Shon Barnes is out as Seattle Police Chief, Mayor Katie Wilson announced Thursday afternoon, and taking the reins as interim police chief is Andre Sayles.
On Thursday afternoon, Mayor Wilson announced that she accepted a letter of resignation from Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes. The move comes amid growing criticism of the city's response to a deadly mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival.
What happened to Shon Barnes?
On Sunday night, July 26, the Seattle Police Department and city officials faced criticism after waiting several hours to hold a news conference about the shooting.
Seattle police Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis finally provided an update at a Sunday evening briefing, which Chief Shon Barnes did not attend.
On Monday morning, Barnes was present at a second Bite of Seattle investigation news conference with Mayor Katie Wilson. He told the media that he was out of town Sunday, attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives Conference, hosted in Dallas.
After Monday morning’s press conference, video captured a confrontational interaction between Barnes and a reporter.
Seattle police chief confronts reporter asking about his whereabouts during mass shooting
Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes got into a confrontation with a reporter who asked about his whereabouts during the mass shooting at Seattle Center that killed three people and injured 5 others.
According to sources, Barnes began texting individuals Wednesday night discussing his dismissal. Barnes had been scheduled to conduct 1-on-1 interviews with Seattle media Wednesday afternoon, but those interviews were abruptly canceled. At 6:30 p.m., he appeared at a silent vigil for victims of the Bite of Seattle shooting. He left abruptly, and sources tell FOX 13 he had a meeting with the mayor after the vigil, which is when he was asked to resign.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced that Deputy Chief Andre Sayles will step in as the city’s interim police chief.
Andre Sayles (Seattle Police Department)
Who is Andre Sayles?
Andre Sayles is a 20-year veteran of law enforcement, previously serving as chief of police in Beloit, Wisconsin.
Sayles served 12 years on the Beloit Police Department SWAT Team, including four years as team leader. He also spearheaded several crime reduction initiatives, led specialized drug and gang units, and contributed to an 80% decline in "open-air shootings" between 2021–2024.
Sayles joined the Seattle Police Department in September 2025 as Deputy Chief of Administration and Investigations.
According to his bio on the police department website, Sayles has an interest in youth engagement, training and recruitment.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from the Seattle Police Department and previous coverage from FOX 13 Seattle.