In a startling turn of events, an influencer known by her online moniker ‘Meatball,’ whose real name is Dayjia Blackwell, now faces a series of six felony charges in connection with a live-streamed video capturing the chaotic looting at an Apple Store in Philadelphia. The incident, which unfolded on social media platforms, showcased a brazen and unsettling scene as individuals broke into the store, making off with Apple devices, all while Blackwell documented the unfolding mayhem for her followers. This case has not only raised concerns about the role of social media in the context of criminal activities but has also prompted a broader discussion on the responsibilities and consequences influencers face when broadcasting such events to a wide online audience.
Following her live-streamed presence at the looting incident, the influencer was swiftly apprehended by law enforcement authorities. In the wake of her arrest, she now faces a litany of serious charges, including six felonies encompassing burglary, conspiracy, riot, and criminal use of a communication facility, along with two misdemeanor offenses. Local officials reported that around 8 pm, multiple calls began flooding in, alerting the police to the presence of sizable crowds converging on Center City. Additionally, there were reports of people looting nearby establishments, including Footlocker, Lululemon, and liquor stores, further compounding the chaos in the area, according to local sources.
In the aftermath of the chaotic looting incident, Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Stanford expressed concerns about the influencer’s potential influence on others, emphasizing that her encouragement might have contributed to additional arrests of individuals who, in his words, displayed a regrettable lapse in judgment. Blackwell herself was captured on the livestream uttering provocative statements such as, “Tell the police they either lock me up tonight or it’s going to get intense; it’s going to be a spectacle.”
Notably, in a report by the New York Post, she was heard loudly exclaiming “Free iPhones!” as the store was being looted. The aftermath saw the arrest of a total of 52 individuals, with Blackwell among them, according to a tweet by Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Stanford. Adding an intriguing twist to the story, Apple managed to remotely identify and disable the stolen devices, which prompted looters to hastily abandon their unlawfully acquired booty.
Looters, captured on video, reacted to the remote disabling of Apple products by discarding them on the ground, tossing them into storm drains, or even pouring liquid on them. Blackwell, having posted bail, is scheduled to appear in court next month. She took to Instagram to share her experience, stating, “I never been through nothing like that ever in my life. I don’t even know what happened. I need some sleep. I’m scared, I’m traumatized.”
In a press conference, Commissioner Stanford clarified that officers were already in downtown Philadelphia due to a protest related to a police officer who had charges dropped after shooting Eddie Irizarry. However, he stressed that the looting was unrelated to the protests, characterizing it as the work of “criminal opportunists” taking advantage of the situation.
