Miami Graffiti Legend Eric Alan Hirt "Eson" Killed by Train

Eric Alan Hirt, known as Eson, a 47-year-old graffiti artist and member of the Miami Style Gods (MSG) crew, was struck and killed by a Brightline passenger train on May 13 near his home in North Miami. Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office detective Joseph R. Peguero Rivera confirmed the incident to Hyperallergic. Hirt's wife, Shawn Hirt, told the Miami Herald his death was an accident, noting he was partially deaf and the area was a "quiet zone" where trains do not sound horns. Hirt appeared in the 2018 VICE documentary Miami's Graffiti Style Gods, which has over 6 million views, showing him tagging in dangerous locations. The documentary captured MSG members rejecting the label "art" and embracing "vandalism." Hirt is survived by his wife of 26 years, two daughters, brother, and mother; a GoFundMe has been set up for his daughters. According to the Miami Herald, Hirt's death is at least the 206th documented fatal Brightline strike since 2017. An investigation by the Herald and WLRN found Brightline failed to address the train's dangers, and the Associated Press had already named it the country's most fatal rail line in 2019. Brightline stated that no incidents resulted from improper train handling or equipment failure. MSG paid tribute on Instagram, calling Hirt "a true king of the highways."