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On Thursday, November 2, 18-year-old Georgia man Brandon McMahon allegedly attempted to rob the Smoke Stars vape store in Canton, Cherokee County. After pointing a gun at the clerk, the teen suddenly stopped, took off his mask, and claimed that he was joking.
According to Cherokee authorities, who have released footage of the incident, the teen may have actually been attempting to rob the store before losing his nerve.
In the security camera footage, Brandon McMahon can be seen in sunglasses, a black hoodie, and a mask, pointing what appears to be a revolver at the owner of the store.
Fox reported that McMahon proceeded to demand certain products. Subsequently, he could be seen taking off the mask and kneeling as he burst into laughter, claiming that it was a joke.
The store clerk can be heard saying:
“Yo, dude. That’s not funny."
Brandon McMahon's response to this is:
“Oh my God, bro. Oh my God, I got you."
He then reportedly said the gun was fake before apologizing and leaving the store. Yahoo reported that the surveillance cameras captured the teen's face, leading to his arrest at Woodstock High School, where he was a student.
Brandon McMahon claims the robbery was a YouTube stunt gone wrong
Law&Crime reported that after being arrested by authorities, Brandon McMahon stated that the 'armed robbery' was simply a YouTube stunt gone wrong. He also claimed that the weapon seen in his hand was an airsoft gun, though authorities allege that they found an actual .357 magnum revolver in his possession after he was arrested.
However, according to WAGA, Cherokee County Sheriff Captain Jay Baker said that the teen's claim cannot be corroborated.
Baker said:
“No one was videotaping him. He does not have a YouTube channel as he states.”
Baker speculated that McMahon was attempting to execute an actual robbery before becoming nervous, leading him to back out at the last minute.
Baker said:
“This was an actual armed robbery that he changed his mind about during the act and tried to downplay it and leave the scene."
McMahon is currently being held on a $4875 bond at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.
A Nashville prank gone wrong
While authorities denied McMahon's case that the incident was a robbery gone wrong, it would not be without precedent. Huffpost reported that in February 2021, 20-year-old teen Timothy Wilkes was fatally shot outside of a Nashville, Tennessee business after his friends approached the premises armed with butcher knives.
In the aftermath of the occurrence, Wilkes' friends claimed that they were filming the entire incident for their YouTube channel. The man was not arrested.
In reference to the Brandon McMahon case, Captain Jay Baker said the 18-year-old was fortunate that the store owner wasn't armed himself.
He said:
“Something like that happens, not only could the clerk shoot you, a bystander might try to protect the clerk. It’s very dangerous.”
McMahon currently faces one count of armed robbery.
