Philadelphia Man Arrested For Rock Salt Robbery Prank
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police say it was a rock salt stick-up, just for kicks.
Daron Stinson, 21, told police that he was just kidding around and looking to record the pranks on video for his Instagram account. But Stinson now faces some very serious charges.
Philadelphia police Lt. John Stanford says last week Stinson and a friend pulled up to a 52-year-old man on Diamond Street near Sedgely and pointed what turned out to be a pellet gun at the man. They ordered him to put his bag of rock salt in the back of their truck.
The two drove away laughing. Stanford says this followed a similar stunt the pair pulled about six blocks away on Diamond.
In the video, the pellet gun is fired twice and you can see the victim running for cover.
Stanford says Stinson turned himself in to police Tuesday.
"I can't understand why anyone in their right mind would think something like this is a joke," Stanford said. "They could cause someone to have a heart attack. They could cause someone to be harmed in so many different ways. Again, this is just something that's senseless and stupid, for lack of a better term."
Stinson has been charged with Aggravated Assault, Conspiracy, Terroristic Threats, Possession of an Instrument of a Crime, Simple Assault and Recklessly Endangering Another Person.
"Hopefully he gets the maximum sentence, whatever that sentence is," Commissioner Charles Ramsey said Wednesday morning. "It just makes no sense, none at all. He's got to pay for it. It's not a prank. It's not funny."
Stinson was arraigned overnight Wednesday and his bail has been set at $250,000. His next court hearing is scheduled for March 6th.