Oh yeah!
Six Long Island teens were arrested this week after allegedly running through and damaging fences as part of the viral “The Kool-Aid Man” TikTok challenge, police said.
The suspects, who range in age from 12 to 18, took videos of themselves bursting through the fences while mimicking the iconic Kool-Aid commercials from decades past, according to Suffolk County cops.
A homeowner in Centereach called 911 at around 1 a.m. on Monday after hearing “loud noises” — and footage from surveillance cameras later revealed six young men had kicked down several sections of his fence.
The homeowner, retired corrections officer Charles Damiani said it “sounded like a gun go off,” NBC New York reported.
According to police, Damiani’s home was not the only one the group went on to prank that night.
“On the night in question, it looks like four homes were hit and tied to these individuals,” said Suffolk County Chief of Patrol Gerard Hardy.
The alleged challenge is meant to mimic the iconic old-school Kool-Aid commercials.
The teens later returned to Damiani’s home around 4 a.m. to continue running through the broken fence.
But cops were there taking a statement from the homeowner and were able to stop them.
“This time it was another bang, I could hear it from upfront. That’s when I ran into the road and I jumped in front of the car and stopped them,” said Damiani.
According to police, Damiani’s home was not the only one the group went on to prank that night.
“They were just driving around kicking down fences. You’re 12 years old, you’re out at 3 o’clock in the morning — where are your parents?” Damiani asked.
The destructive TikTok trend is meant to mimic the popular Kool-Aid commercials in which the bright-red drink mascot bursts through walls and fences.
The five juveniles and one 18-year-old were charged with several counts of third-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree criminal mischief.
The teens were released on Family Court Field Appearance Tickets and are set to be arraigned in Family District Court in Islip on March 6.
Police continue to investigate the incident, and whether it may be connected to at least two other instances of damaged fences in Centereach and Selden.
