The popular social media influencer known as “Meatball” live-streamed a robbery that engulfed downtown Philadelphia overnight, before he was apparently caught cheering on the robbers.
Meatball, whose real name is Dayjia Blackwell, shared videos and photos on his Instagram Stories happily documenting the mass robbery of several businesses, including an Apple store, Foot Locker, Lululemon and a liquor store.
The content creator with nearly 650,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok can be seen laughing, clapping and shouting “Let’s go!” as he watched a suspected robber flee as he was driven across town.
Blackwell then proceeded to film the frenzy on foot, capturing his apparent passion.
“Tell the police they’re either going to lock me up tonight, or it’s going to be lit, it’s going to be a movie,” he said at one point in his video.
Joining a group of young people roaming the streets, a laughing Blackwell exclaimed at one point: “This is what happens when we don’t get justice in this town.”
Dayjia Blackwell, a social media influencer known as “Meatball,” live-streamed last night’s mass robbery in Philadelphia. Instagram / @dayjiamainpageBlackwell’s video shows youths breaking into an Apple store and emerging with loot.Instagram / @dayjiamainpageMerchandise on the counter at a burglarized Apple store in Philadelphia.Alejandro A. Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
The influencer’s video shows a mob of robbers rushing into an Apple store near 15th and Chestnut streets and emerging with iPhones and tablets in hand.
“Free iPhones! Free iPhones,” Blackwell shouted, before filming people displaying their stolen electronics.
Several smartphones and iPads were seen littered on the ground and trampled by the robbers.
A laughing Blackwell exclaimed at one point: “This is what happens when we don’t get justice in this town.” Instagram / @dayjiamainpage Destroying a mannequin at a grocery store in Philadelphia that was robbed.Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
As the rampage unfolded, Blackwell followed the crowd into the Lululemon store in Rittenhouse Square.
“Oh my god! Oh my God! They entered it!” the woman screamed excitedly in the footage, showing robbers breaking into the business.
The police then withdrew and proceeded to tackle and arrest several people outside the store.
The content creator with nearly 650,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok can be seen laughing, clapping and shouting, “Let’s go!” Instagram / @dayjiamainpageBlackwell made several stops in the video to record the robbery. NBC Philadelphia At one point, Blackwell himself was briefly seen holding a glass bottle filled with chocolate liquid. Instagram / @dayjiamainpage
“Don’t touch them! Record this!” Blackwell shouted as he stood across the street. “This is why we’re here: because you cops don’t watch your own hands.”
Blackwell then got back into the car and headed to the next stop to rob, saying in the video: “Go ahead!”
The live stream then captured a group of men and women rummaging through a liquor store that had been broken into in a shopping plaza. Blackwell himself was briefly seen holding a glass bottle filled with a brown liquid.
People break into liquor stores during a night of vandalism.Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer via APA Curaleaf dispensary damaged in robbery.Steven M. Falk/The Philadelphia Inquirer via APKEffects from vandalized stores in Philadelphia.Alejandro A. Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
Other social media users later shared a video showing Blackwell apparently being detained by police officers.
User drizzydrea_ posted footage of a woman believed to be Blackwell being led away in handcuffs by police.
It was not immediately known if the influencer was formally arrested or charged with any crime.
Philadelphia police outside a ransacked Lululemon store.Alejandro A. Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP Police officers deal with a shoplifter outside a ransacked Lululemon store in Rittenhouse Square. Instagram / @dayjiamainpagePolice previously said they had made up to 20 arrests in connection with the rampage. @Mile2x / X
The Philadelphia Police Department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for confirmation Wednesday, and Meatball did not respond to messages sent through its social media.
Police previously said they had made up to 20 arrests in connection with the rampage, which saw a group of around 100 people – some wearing spooky Halloween masks – rob chain stores.
Some perps wear Halloween masks. @Mile2x / XUnclear if Blackwell has been officially arrested. dayjiamainpage / Instagram
At least two firearms were recovered from the scene, according to authorities. No word on injuries.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
