A**hole Gives “COVID Hug” to Random Strangers

Sometimes I really wonder if we deserve to survive as a species. CNN is reporting that this guy walked into a Walmart store in Springfield, MA, walked up to random shoppes and gave them a hug, then told them “Just giving you a Covid hug. You now have Covid.”

Man in Walmart gives customers hugs and tells them they now have Covid-19

This happened on Aug. 15 around 7:10 PM. No idea why it took so long for it to be reported, but news orgs all over the place (even in the UK) have picked it up. From ABCNEWS:

However, even if the man has not tested positive for COVID-19, saying that he has it and approaching people in a menacing way could constitute a threat under Massachusetts state law.

Massachusetts state law says that anyone who communicates a threat either directly or indirectly, orally, in writing “or by other means” can be charged with making terroristic threats.

One of his victims is a cancer survivor. If you know this person:

contact the Springfield MA police department. From MASSLIVE:

Surveillance footage from the store shows a Black or Latino man with short dark hair, dressed in gray camouflage shorts, black sneakers, and a black shirt with the word Aero printed on the front. He was also wearing a mask.

Those with information should call the Detective Bureau at 413-787-6355, leave a private message on the department’s Facebook page, or send an anonymous Text-A-Tip to CRIMES (2-7-4-6-3-7), beginning the message with the word SOLVE.

dankoh

I’ve been Dan K for a long time here, but I went away while I was in the Peace Corps (Kenya) and then while I was working as a Foreign Service Officer. But that’s all behind me now.

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