Massachusetts police are searching for a man who allegedly gave birth to several people, including a cancer survivor, involuntary “COVID hugs” at a local Walmart.
Police say the unidentified man forced himself on shoppers at a Walmart in Boston Highway in Springfield, Massachusetts at 3:10 p.m. on Aug. 15. A surveillance photo of the masked man was posted in a social media post calling for tips.
“This suspect took an article from a victim’s hand and then gave him a hug,” the Springfield Police Department wrote in a Friday night Facebook post. “He told the victim ‘Just give yourself a Covid hug. You have Covid now.’ “The suspect then started laughing and walked away. The victim, who is a cancer survivor, had never seen the suspect before. This suspect had done this to other customers as well.”
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Newsweek reached the Springfield Police Department for additional information and comment.
The incident was the latest in a series of reports from people claiming to be infected with the virus who inadvertently make contact with others with the stated purpose of deliberately infecting them. Although incidents have occurred since the beginning of the pandemic at many different locations in the U.S., Walmart stores have been in several.
A couple was arrested last month in Yuma, Arizona, after refusing to abide by store policies by wearing face masks and “confronting” Walmart employees. They then went through with modest coughing staff before fleeing from the police. One suspect is also said to have tried to fight officers while he was being arrested.
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Two men dressed in hazmat suits arrived in March in a Las Vegas, Nevada Walmart, and sprayed groceries with an unknown “clear liquid,” which was later identified as water. None of those involved were believed to have developed any symptoms or suffered injuries. Police followed up on the men, and they arrested the plan in an attempt to gain notoriety on social media.
In April, a Tennessee man was arrested and charged with burglary on the hook of terrorism, after he hated Walmart customers after hoaxing while writing that he was infected with the virus. He was sentenced to 120 days in prison and 3 years self-punishment after pleading guilty.
While many may have intended to intimidate victims without actually spreading infection, authorities believe the incidents are serious crimes, some of which may be eligible for federal prosecution at the expense of terrorism. Given the fact that more than 5.7 million people in the US are infected with COVID-19, it is plausible that some of the cases may involve narrators carrying the virus, even if it is not clear how many of ‘ the incidents may have resulted in new infections.
