A tragic incident unfolded in Seattle when a 14-year-old boy was fatally struck by a monorail while he was spray-painting a building. The teenager, Xavier Gayton, was visiting from Arizona and had climbed to the rooftop of a downtown building adjacent to the monorail tracks when the accident occurred on July 30, according to Seattle police.
The news of the incident sent shockwaves through Gayton’s family. His mother, Allison Gardner, expressed her grief and disbelief in an interview. She described the news as deeply painful and shocking, beyond her ability to articulate. She remembered her son as a passionate individual who had a desire to make a mark, but unfortunately, he did not fully comprehend the risks involved in his actions.
Gayton was a native of Washington but had relocated to Arizona with his mother nine years prior. He was in Seattle for the summer, visiting family and friends. Gardner portrayed her son as a fun-loving, creative, and talented artist. In his memory, she set up a GoFundMe page which had raised nearly $9,000 as of the last update.
Despite being cautioned repeatedly about the dangers and illegality of street graffiti, Gayton, like many teenagers, did not fully grasp the reality or the potential hazards of his actions, Gardner said. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with such activities.
The Seattle Fire Department responded to the incident but was unable to save Gayton. Police obtained video footage that showed the teenager engaged in graffiti at the time of the accident.
The Seattle Center Monorail, in a statement to the Seattle Times, expressed their commitment to safety as their top priority. They assured full cooperation with the authorities in the ongoing investigation of the incident.