Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes is facing questions after he was not in the city when a shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival left three people dead and four others injured Sunday evening.

The incident occurred at Seattle Center during the annual festival, where authorities said as many as three people may have exchanged gunfire, with bystanders caught in the middle.

At the time, Barnes was in Dallas, Texas, attending the annual conference of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

His absence quickly became a topic of discussion as officials responded to the incident.

“I wish that I had a crystal ball and we could schedule gun violence, but we can’t,” Barnes said when asked about being out of town when the shooting occurred.

The police chief also became visibly frustrated when a reporter questioned how often he is actually in Seattle, referencing a report that claimed Barnes frequently spends weekends away from the city, where his family lives in Chicago.

“Those reports are wrong, do you understand?” Barnes responded.

He later defended his commitment to the city, saying he had been working as hard as possible for Seattle since taking the position.

When asked separately about his travel to Chicago, Barnes said he does not travel as often as he would like and rejected reports that he is away from Seattle every weekend.

“I’m here in Seattle. I love the neighborhood. I love my community, they love me,” Barnes said.

Authorities believe the incident may have stemmed from a conflict involving small groups, although the investigation remains ongoing.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said investigators believe a teenager may have opened fire in the crowd, but emphasized that details were still being determined.

The shooting has renewed questions about public safety at large community events and the role of city leadership during major emergencies.

The Seattle Police Department continues to investigate the incident, while officials work to determine exactly what led to the confrontation and identify those responsible.