McDonald working on the Everything Connects totems at Washington Middle School.
A Central District artist, teacher, and youth mentor died Sunday after being shot on a Belltown sidewalk. Brent McDonald was a longtime instructor and youth mentor at 23rd and E Cherry’s Coyote Central, a nonprofit that exposes middle school students to the arts.
Seattle Police responded to reports of shots fired on 3rd Ave between Lenora and Blanchard on Sunday around 3 AM. According to SPD, officers found McDonald and immediately began performing CPR. McDonald was transported to Harborview Medical Center where he later died. Homicide detectives are asking anyone with information on the incident to call (206) 233-5000.
UPDATE: SPD investigators released a surveillance video Tuesday of two suspects standing on a sidewalk two hours prior to the shooting. A Mercedes Benz station wagon seen in the video is also believed to be associated with the male and female suspects.
Christine Edgar mourned the loss of McDonald in a post on an online fundraising campaign she setup to support McDonald’s longtime partner.
“He was a quiet, gentle, and soulful man who was a talented artist, and who loved working with kids and teens as a Teaching Artist at Coyote Central here in Seattle,” Edgar said. “We are devastated that such a peaceful and kind person was taken from us so suddenly and by such violent means.”
McDonald’s youth-mentored street art projects can be seen throughout central Seattle, including the murals at the Squire Park Community Garden, paintings on the bus shelters at 23rd and Union, mosaics at Powell Barnett Park, and the totems at Washington Middle School.
My deepest sympathy to this talented man’s family and friends. It sounds as though he touched many lives and left a legacy of art that everyone can appreciate.
What an incredibly tragic loss for first Brent’s family, so many of the kid’s he touched through art – all of us. Walking around the CD & Squire Park I felt like I knew the man even though I’ve only met with him briefly a few times. It’s that whole community artists thing – we are all one.
Seattle, we lost a truly good man. We need to mourn this loss. We need to support this family. We need to recognize the good he quietly did for our young people.We need to seek justice for those who ended his life too soon.
No! He was the nicest guy ever and was so good working with youth. This is terrible.
how horrible. random gun violence is bad enough, but for the additional grief of having it kill someone with such a positive influence… I hope they catch these scumbags.
This is horribly, horribly tragic. Walk around the Central District and see his influence everywhere. This man contributed so much cheer and brightness, not just in tangible ways, like with the street art, but in young peoples’ hearts and spirits. Who would do such a thing? It’s hopeless.
This is awful! My deepest condolences to his family and friends. He sounds like he was a contributor to our world.