The beloved Chihuly Garden and Glass in the Seattle Center has suffered $240,000 in damage after a man was caught allegedly destroying sculptures.
Chihuly Garden and Glass said an art installation was vandalized and has been removed. The museum is currently open to the public and has resumed regular operating hours.
“We can confirm that a break-in occurred in the outside garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass last night,” a spokesperson for the museum told KIRO Newsradio via email. “An art installation was vandalized, and we’ve removed the damaged art. We expect to replace the damaged art in the coming weeks.”
Police arrested a 40-year-old man just after 11 p.m. Monday for assault and vandalism, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) reported in a blotter post.
A security guard allegedly found the man inside a secure area actively breaking glass plants. The man then allegedly threw broken glass shards at the security guard, picked up a broken shard, and tried to stab the security guard multiple times.
Officers arrived and found large pieces of colorful broken glass on the walking path and scattered around the area. Police talked to the security guard, who was unharmed. The guard identified the suspect, and police formed a team to take the man into custody.
SPD stated that the man “became combative and refused to follow commands.” However, he was eventually arrested.
The man was transported to the King County Jail and booked on investigation of burglary and assault.
Suspect in Chihuly Garden vandalism appears in court
On Tuesday, the man had his first appearance hearing. The court found probable cause for burglary in the first degree, assault in the second degree, and malicious mischief in the first degree, according to Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Bail was not addressed in court Tuesday, and the man remains in the King County Jail. McNerthney noted no previous cases involving the man have been referred to King County prosecutors.
King County prosecutors anticipate a case referral from police investigators for a charging decision in the coming days.
MyNorthwest does not name suspects until they have been charged.
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