A man has been taken into custody for allegedly inflicting nearly $250,000 worth of “catastrophic damage” on a renowned museum in Washington state and attempting to stab a security guard with a glass shard, authorities and reports reveal.
Police responded to a call at Chihuly Garden and Glass, located at Seattle Center, shortly after 11 p.m. on Monday. They arrived to find the site in disarray, with large fragments of colorful glass scattered throughout, as reported by the Seattle Police Department.
The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Alexander Taylor Weis, was apprehended for causing substantial damage amounting to almost a quarter of a million dollars. Security personnel at the museum pointed him out as the frenzied vandal, according to both police and KOMO News.
Officials claim that Weis was discovered within a “secure area” of the museum, actively wrecking the elaborate glass installations created by artist Dave Chihuly.
In his rampage, Weis allegedly hurled glass shards at security officers and wielded a piece of glass in an attempt to repeatedly stab one of the museum’s security guards, according to police reports.
When officers attempted to restrain him, Weis reportedly became “combative” and ignored their commands. He was eventually transported to King County Jail, authorities stated.
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.”
