Charles Smith, 27, took “influencer culture” to new lows this week. On December 19th, at the Mesa Walmart on S. Stapley Drive, Smith decided to spice up his social media game by grabbing a can of Hot Shot Ultra Bed Bug and Flea Killer (you can’t make this stuff up) and spraying it on random food items. Think veggies, fruit, even rotisserie chickens. Guy basically turned the produce aisle into his personal pest control experiment.
Mesa Police arrest suspect in bug spraying incident at Walmart. Read below for details.https://t.co/I1thlCfVNw pic.twitter.com/RoVFEaQz7o
— Mesa Police Dept. (@MesaPD) December 21, 2024
And because no dumb decision is complete without evidence, he filmed the whole thing front and center. The can of pesticide? Close-up shot. The act itself? Full view. Then, of course, he posted it online. Because in the age of social media, if you didn’t post it, did it even happen?
According to the press release issued by the Mesa Police Department, thanks to swift investigative efforts and collaboration with the Tempe Police Department, detectives were able to identify Smith and secure his voluntary surrender. During his interview, Smith admitted to both the theft of the pesticide and the reckless spraying of food products.
Smith now faces charges of introducing poison, criminal damage, endangerment, and theft. His actions not only posed serious health risks but also highlight the dangers of reckless pranks carried out for social media content.
