Texas teen who sucker-punched strangers in viral video: ‘Everybody makes mistakes’
Alford Lewis, a 19-year-old boy from Texas, confessed to sucker-punching random victims at a park in Houston for a TikTok “prank” video.
Lewis’s confession: In an interview with KHOU 11 after the videos went viral, Lewis claimed that he “made a mistake” assaulting people walking on a trail at Wortham Park on Wednesday.
“You know, I just made a mistake and everybody makes mistakes,” he told the outlet when asked if he regrets his actions. “I really didn’t expect for it to go so left, you know.”
About the assaults: In the video, which was also shared on Nextdoor, Lewis, who wears a red hoodie, randomly approaches at least two people — one of whom appears to be of Asian descent — walking at the Park in the Cypress area and punches them from behind. The video has since gone viral and sparked outrage, with many viewers condemning Lewis’ unprovoked, violent nature.
“It was a prank. I had no problem with the man. I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I was hanging out with my friend, and we did a TikTok (video), and so, yeah, I didn’t mean it, didn’t mean to harm anybody,” the 19-year-old told ABC13 via text message.
For the clout: Lewis admitted to assaulting people to gain likes and views on YouTube and TikTok but claimed he didn’t expect the situation to escalate, adding that his parents were disappointed by his behavior. He said the video only showed the “bad part” and that he shook one of the victims’ hand and gave him a hug afterward.
“What people don’t see is that I shook his hand after and gave the man a hug,” he claimed. He advised other people: “Before you go out and do anything you feel is bad, or that could look bad, make sure, like, people know – or just don’t do it at all.”
Ongoing investigation: Lewis’ claims have not been verified, and it is unclear whether any of the victims will or have pressed charges against him. His actions reflect a troubling trend among young people seeking online fame through such violent acts. The incident is currently being investigated by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office’s Violent Crimes Division.
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