A family dropped their lawsuit against Seattle after safety changes were made to Gas Works Park’s towers, which they allege contributed to their son’s death.
SEATTLE — The family of a 14-year-old boy who died at Seattle’s Gas Works Park has dismissed a nuisance lawsuit against the city after officials completed safety modifications to the park’s structures.
The lawsuit, filed by members of the Johnson family, accused the city of failing to protect the public from dangers posed by the towers, a longtime attraction at the center of the park. According to court filings, the family argued the city acknowledged the structures were hazardous but did not take sufficient action to address the risks.
The city began removing ladders, catwalks and platforms from the towers on April 22. The work was completed days before a hearing scheduled for May 29 on the family’s motion for summary judgment seeking a court order declaring the park a nuisance and requiring the city to act.
The Johnson family then moved to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit as moot.
The suit followed the July 10, 2025, death of 14-year-old Mattheis Johnson, described by the family as the third publicized death connected to the structures.
In a statement, Mattheis’ father, Adam Johnson, criticized the city’s handling of safety concerns at the park.
“I still don’t understand how the City punted and allowed a historical preservation committee to be in charge of a public safety matter,” Johnson said. “There was a plan in place for years, and they still wouldn’t make the changes, and now my son is dead.”
Court records show at least three deaths and 11 serious injuries connected to falls from the towers since 2008.
According to the family’s attorneys, the city studied the structures in 2016 and determined climbing elements should be removed. While some modifications were made, the lawsuit alleged the efforts failed to resolve the hazards.
Attorney Karen Koehler, who represented the family, said the lawsuit was intended to pressure the city to address the dangers.
The towers remain standing at the park, though the city has removed climbing features identified as unsafe.
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