Teen admits he punched random strangers in park for social media clout

A teen admitted to punching random strangers in a Texas park to gain fame on social media, saying he “just made a mistake.”

Social media is one of the primary ways folks interact with the world these days — but sometimes, it feels like using social apps can be somewhat addicting.

In fact, evidence suggests that getting likes and follows on social platforms can activate the “same reward centers in the brain triggered by addictions to chemical compounds.”

Going viral on social media can result in international recognition from users all over the world, scoring a person likes, follows, and attention… but not every way that people go about getting this attention is positive.

For instance, we’ve covered a slew of ‘pranks’ that have gone sideways here at Dexerto, with influencers hoping to get views by pulling over-the-top practical jokes that have ended in major injuries and even landed them in legal trouble.

Now, another user has admitted to harming random strangers in a park to gain likes and attention online.

Teen “regrets” punching strangers for social media clout

19-year-old Alford Lewis was filmed running up on at least two strangers in Houston’s Wortham Park, punching them in the head on a walking trail. The videos were shared locally via the Nextdoor app and quickly went viral.

The teen says this was part of a stunt to make it big online, claiming that he “shook the man’s hand and gave him a hug” afterwards — a statement that has not been verified.

However, Lewis says he regrets the stunt, saying he “made a mistake” and warned others about the dangers of pulling off similar so-called ‘pranks.’

“I just made a mistake, and everybody makes mistakes,” he told local news outlet KHOU 11. “…I really didn’t expect for it to go so left, you know.”

“Before you go out and you do anything that you feel is bad, or that could look bad, make sure that people know, or, just don’t do it at all.”

According to KHOU 11’s reports, Lewis is now facing charges of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and assault.

This is just the latest “prank” to come under fire from netizens after rapper Ice-T’s son was caught cutting off a woman’s hair during a Twitch stream as part of an ill-received practical joke earlier this month.