Perhaps it was predictable; Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, who has supported restrictive gun control efforts and advocated for repeal of Washington’s model firearm preemption statute, has picked for the city’s new police chief the man revealed in recent news reports as having suggested the Second Amendment may not be “appropriate” in today’s world, Madison, Wisconsin Chief Shon Barnes.
The announcement came just one day after Barnes’ remarks, made during a 2022 interview with a reporter at WMSN in Madison, became public knowledge in the Puget Sound area, in reports from KTTH talk host Jason Rantz and veteran broadcast journalist/podcaster Brandi Kruse.
Seattle Police Chief Candidate Said 2A ‘May Not Be Appropriate’ Today
At the time, just after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Barnes was discussing school security and the nation’s gun laws. The Uvalde killer had purchased two guns, which brought this observation, according to the interview:
“I understand it was legal, but is it right? We have a lot of things that are legal, but is it the right thing to do? We have to rise above that. And sometimes it requires an evolution of our thinking. What was written in 1789 may not be appropriate for 2022 unless we’re okay with kids being killed,” Barnes said on camera.
The remark brought a rebuke from Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
“If Barnes is selected to lead the Seattle Police Department,” Gottlieb observed, “he should understand the rank-and-file supports the Second Amendment, and that since the city began pushing its gun control agenda ten years ago, the number of homicides has nearly tripled. We’re never ‘okay’ with kids getting killed. In fact, we’re not okay with anyone getting killed.
“We are also alarmed,” he continued, “that if Barnes thinks the Second Amendment may not be appropriate, what other rights does he think are outdated? What about the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination?”
Barnes’ career in law enforcement started in Greensboro N.C., where he spent more than 17 years. From there, he moved to Salisbury, N.C. where he served as deputy police chief, from 2017 to 2021. That year, he was hired as chief in Madison in January 2021.
He is recognized for innovative leadership and for bringing down crime in his community.
According to WMTV News in Wisconsin, Barnes may have been looking for a move. In a Dec. 20 report, the station revealed, “Barnes has previously considered leaving Madison on two other occasions. In 2023, he was a semi-finalist for Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, but ultimately did not get the job. In Oct. 2024, he spoke with San Jose city officials about available positions, but did not formally interview…Through an open records request, 15 News obtained an email from Barnes dated Oct. 23, in which he assured the department of his commitment to Madison.”
Now Barnes is moving to Seattle, where successive administrations have not been friendly to the Second Amendment. The city has been sued at least three times by the Second Amendment Foundation and National Rifle Association for violating the state’s preemption statute, adopted first in 1983 and improved in 1985.
In his announcement, Harrell stated, “Chief Barnes will bring proven experience and a forward-looking vision to help us realize our One Seattle commitment to safety for every person in every neighborhood.”
