Recently released surveillance footage captures a terrifying moment at a bustling shopping mall in Stratford, East London, where a teenager hurled a hefty 33-pound chair from the top floor railing, narrowly missing unsuspecting pedestrians below. This reckless incident took place at a Westfield mall in March of last year. However, it is only now, following the prosecution of the involved teenagers, that the dramatic CCTV footage has been made public, highlighting just how close a disaster was averted, as reported by SWNS.
The footage reveals a 16-year-old boy hoisting a round, dark-blue chair from the floor before launching it over the railing as his 15-year-old companion captured the dangerous stunt on video. At the time, the clip quickly went viral on social media, captioned with the alarming phrase, “no way bro almost killed someone.”
In the heart-stopping footage, a group of shoppers can be seen strolling by, blissfully unaware of the substantial piece of furniture plummeting towards them from above. The incident underscores the potential for tragedy in what was a thoughtless and dangerous prank.
At the time, the video went wiral on social media alongside the caption “no way bro almost killed someone.”
In the footage, a group of shoppers can be seen walking along, completely unaware that there was a large sofa falling above them.
A moment later, the blue chair can be seen slamming down onto the tiled-floor, narrowly missing the group of people.
Other passersby can be seen freezing in fear after the couch landed nearby, before hurrying off in a different direction.
The teen and his buddy were nabbed by police soon after.
Last September, the 16-year-old teen who chucked the chair over the railing was slapped with a $55 fine and a 8-month Detention and Training Order, where he’ll serve half his sentence in a secure training facility.
The 15-year-old boy was hit with a $331 fine and a 12-month referral order, a community service sentence for young, first-time offenders on May 20.
Both teens pleaded guilty to criminal damage and recklessly causing a public nuisance.