Visitors to Seattle's Chihuly Garden and Glass this week saw the aftermath of what police describe as a late-night rampage through the museum's outdoor installations. Seattle police say a 40-year-old man caused an estimated $240,000 in damage on Monday evening after allegedly infiltrating a secured area and smashing glass plant sculptures at the venue, which sits next to the Space Needle, reports USA Today. When officers arrived around 11pm, they found "large pieces of colorful broken glass" scattered along the walkway and nearby areas, according to a department report.
Security staff told police they'd confronted the man as he was allegedly breaking the artwork. Investigators say he threw glass shards at a guard, then picked up a larger piece and tried several times to stab the officer, who backed away and waited for police. Officers established a "contact team" to arrest the suspect, who they say was "combative" before being taken into custody and booked into King County Jail on suspicion of burglary and assault. The police report described the vandalism as "catastrophic damage."
On Wednesday, a judge found probable cause to hold the man on counts of first-degree malicious mischief, first-degree burglary, and second-degree assault, setting the bail at $100,000, KOMO reports. He was also ordered to stay away from Chihuly Garden, where museum officials say the damaged works have been removed and will be replaced in the coming weeks. The museum, which opened in 2012 to showcase glass artist Dale Chihuly's installations, remained open to visitors this week.
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