Nearly two dozen Alabama men reportedly decided to put a unique twist on one of the latest social media crazes known as the “mannequin challenge” and now some of those men are in hot water with law enforcement authorities.
According to AL.com, a video was posted on social media last month that appears to show a number of men holding firearms in one of the most unique takes on the “mannequin challenge” to date. Several men in the video appear to be posing with weapons, perhaps simulating some type of shootout.
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Needless to say, the local and federal authorities who saw the video did not treat the incident as a laughing matter and conducted a raid to execute a search warrant early Tuesday morning at the home where the video was allegedly filmed.
Later that day, the Madison County Sheriff held a press conference to display items seized in the raid conducted jointly by local and federal agencies in response to what authorities saw on the video.
Capt. Salomonsky @ media event for search warrant at viral video mannequin challenge residence-guns & drugs seized. pic.twitter.com/qsDNcyLPQQ
— Madison Sheriff AL (@mcsosheriffAL) December 6, 2016
During the press conference, Captain Mike Salomonsky told reporters, “The Madison County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, the City of Huntsville Police Department SWAT team, and also ATF were present when we executed the search warrant [at a residence connected to the case].”
However, only two men have been arrested thus far in connection with the incident — Kenneth Fennell White, 49, and Terry Brown, 23. Additionally, cops say they only seized two handguns, an assault rifle and a shotgun at the home. Several rounds of ammunition, some ammunition magazines and an unknown quantity of marijuana and related drug paraphernalia were also said to be found during the raid.
White now faces charges of first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of a firearm by a violent felon. His bail was set at $30,000 and he is being held at the Madison County Jail.
Brown was initially only charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and loitering, but a more complete search once he arrived at the detention center allegedly revealed he was in possession of marijuana. Charges for marijuana possession and prison contraband charges were added, but his bail was only set a t $3,800.
Authorities says they are still gathering additional evidence and additional persons may be charged in connection with the incident.
