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A man has been taken into custody for allegedly inflicting nearly $250,000 in “catastrophic damage” to a renowned museum in Washington state. The suspect also reportedly attempted to stab a security guard with a glass shard, according to law enforcement and media reports.
The Seattle Police Department responded to an emergency call at the Chihuly Garden and Glass, located within the Seattle Center, shortly after 11 p.m. on Monday. Officers arrived to find the scene in disarray, with large fragments of vibrant glass scattered across the museum grounds.
Police and local broadcaster KOMO News identified the suspect as 40-year-old Alexander Taylor Weis. He was arrested after museum security personnel pointed him out as the individual allegedly responsible for the extensive vandalism.
According to the police, security officers discovered Weis in a restricted section of the museum, where he was reportedly in the process of damaging the elaborate glass installations crafted by artist Dave Chihuly.
Weis allegedly hurled glass shards at security staff and picked up one to attempt a stabbing multiple times, targeting a museum security officer, police further reported.
As he was cuffed, Weis allegedly became “combatative” and refused commands. He was eventually hauled away to King County Jail, police said.
No security guards were injured in the chaos, according to authorities.
It is estimated that the vandal caused over $240,000 in damage to the famed sculptures, authorities said. Photos released by the department showed hundreds of pieces of shattered glass.
Despite the destruction, museum officials and crew quickly swept up the damage and reopened the following day. The damaged artwork has been removed and will be replaced in the coming weeks, KOMO reported.
Weis later refused to appear in court, but a judge found probable cause to hold him in custody on burglary, assault, and several counts of malicious mischief charges, the outlet reported.
“There’s really no words,” Gary Rockafield, a Chihuly Garden and Glass visitor, told the outlet. “The time and effort it takes to make these things and put them on display just to have someone come in and do that.”