TikTok's 'Kool-Aid Man Challenge': Suspects crash through East Northport fence, police say
Participants in "The Kool-Aid Man Challenge" are at it again, this time in East Northport, police said.
And now the cops are searching for multiple suspects they said crashed through a fence there — apparently, as part of the latest TikTok challenge that has led to damaged fences across the country and resulted in scores of arrests, mostly of teenage boys.
Police did not provide details on the latest suspects, identifying the offenders only as "multiple people."
But video surveillance footage of the incident released Monday by police shows four suspects crashing through a fence using only their bodies, then fleeing on foot and joined by a fifth suspect.
The fence was destroyed on Scholar Court in East Northport on March 18, but it was undetermined what time the damage occurred. No arrests have been made.
Police said tipsters are eligible for a cash reward for any information leading to an arrest or arrests in the case.
In February, six teenage boys were arrested for knocking down portions of a fence in Centereach in an incident police also said was related to "The Kool-Aid Man Challenge."
Those teens, five juveniles and an adult aged 12 to 18, were charged with several counts of criminal mischief. Police did not release the identities of those suspects, who were scheduled to appear in Family Court in Central Islip.
"The Kool-Aid Man Challenge" is based on the Kool-Aid Man character first introduced in the late 1970s in a series of TV commercials as a pitcher of Kool-Aid drink crashing through walls and fences as thirsty kids shout, "Hey, Kool-Aid."
Video surveillance footage of the latest incident can be found online at YouTube.com/scpdtv/shorts under Wanted for East Northport Criminal Mischief 23-225350.
Police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS or through a mobile app that can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips. Tipsters can also submit tips at P3Tips.com.
With John Asbury
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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'A spark for them to escalate the fighting' A standoff between officials has stalled progress, eroded community patience and escalated the price tag for taxpayers. Newsday investigative editor Paul LaRocco and NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie report.
