An Arizona man is in jail after police caught wind of him spraying pesticides on Walmart produce for a viral prank.
Clout should be placed on the control substance list due to the things people are willing to do for the high of going viral. Social media pranks used to be harmless, scripted, and never included innocent bystanders.
In 2024, viral pranks have evolved into harassing strangers anticipating an aggressive or violent reaction for viral clicks.
According to AzFamily, unsuspecting Walmart shoppers were caught in the crossfire of one Arizona man’s poor attempt at a viral video. Charles Smith reportedly went to a Mesa Walmart and sprayed a bottle of “Hot Shot Ultra Bed Bug and Flea Killer” on various items in the store. Eventually, Smith went to the product section and sprayed the pesticide all over the meat, vegetables, fruits, and more.
This puts the general public at risk for illness if they ingest the contaminated items. Soon after authorities saw the now-deleted video Smith was promptly arrested.
“The health and safety of our customers and associates is always a top priority,” said a Walmart spokesperson in a statement. “We have removed all directly impacted products and have cleaned and sanitized the affected area of the store. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our customers as we work to resolve this issue. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement during their investigation.”
During the police interview, Smith reportedly claimed his social media comments made him realize how “horrible” the distasteful prank was. Only then did he attempt to return to the store and collect the damaged items.
Later, Smith posted a Walmart video allegedly purchasing the items and placing them into a truck before alleging he threw them away. Smith was charged with Introducing Poison (a felony) and three Class 1 Misdemeanors of Criminal Damage, Endangerment, and Theft. Smith reportedly caused $931 worth of damages but told police the prank videos bring in between $6,000 to $10,000 a month.
Hopefully, Smith can find a better and safer way to create viral content in the future.