The video: Footage shared widely on social media last week shows Kevin Wise, 26, discarding his coronavirus face mask to plunge into the 13,000-gallon fish tank in a Bossier City Bass Pro Shop.
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE:
— Reporter Timmy Lane (@ReporterTimmy) June 26, 2020
A guy went for a swim in the Bass Pro Shop fish tank. He left behind his Coronavirus mask and his hat. This happened at the Louisiana Boardwalk located in Bossier City.#newsatitsbest pic.twitter.com/FA6bORB4oA
The crime: Wise was arrested by citation and charged with simple criminal damage to property, a misdemeanor, NBC affiliate KTAL reported.
- Authorities received a complaint on Friday after Bass Pro Shop learned there would be costs associated with cleaning the tank.
- Wise was eventually released on a summons to appear in court.
- Wise told CBS affiliate KSAL that he jumped into the tank as part of a stunt to celebrate getting 2,000 likes on TikTok.
Some couldn’t help but politicize the moment.
Others saw in Wise an exemplar of the free-wheeling, rebellious American character.OK, I have no proof whatsoever that this man is a Trump supporter but... c'mon... I think we all know.https://t.co/z4pHD5SdLN
— Bob Geiger (@GeigerNews) June 30, 2020
— ObeliskToucher (@ObeliskToucher) June 28, 2020In the culture war over liberty versus safety during the resurgent coronavirus pandemic, Bass Pro Shop has defended what it says is its Second Amendment right to stay open and sell firearms.
- Apparently, though, the company believes there is such a thing as too much freedom.
