A man broke into a Seattle art exhibition, destroyed several sculptures by a famed glass artist and tried to stab a security guard with the shards, the police said this week.
The Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, dedicated to the work of Dale Chihuly, a native of Tacoma, Wash., sustained an estimated $240,000 in damages on Monday. Chihuly’s works, known for their bright colors and dramatic contours, have been exhibited around the world and sold for millions of dollars to collectors like Bill Gates and Bill Clinton. His Chihuly Studio company sells sculptures for $7,000 to $9,000.
According to a police report, a security guard found the man, 40, destroying glass sculptures in a locked display area of the Garden at about 11 p.m. Monday. The man threw broken glass at the guard and attempted to stab him several times, the report said. The guard pepper-sprayed the man, the report said, and officers tased him before taking him into custody.
Twelve items were reported damaged, each valued at an estimated $20,000. A spokeswoman for the Chihuly Garden and Glass said that no one was injured in the break-in and that the organization expected to replace the destroyed artworks.
Online jail records for King County show that the man was charged with first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and first-degree malicious mischief. A spokesman for the Seattle Police Department said no motive had been identified.
Reggie Ugwu is a Times culture reporter.
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