Viral 'Kool-Aid Man Challenge' returns: Teens cause property damage on Staten Island

Kool-Aid man challenge is latest social media fad

A new social media challenge, the "Kool-Aid man challenge," has made its way to Staten Island. FOX 5 NY's Duarte Geraldino has more.

STATEN ISLAND, NY - A destructive social media trend is hitting homes on Staten Island, prompting a warning from residents and law enforcement. Police say they are investigating something called the "Kool-Aid Man Challenge," where teens record themselves smashing through fences, inspired by the old commercials.

In the classic Kool-Aid commercials, the popular large red brand mascot could be seen breaking through walls, fences and even refrigerators, then shouting "Oh yeah!" 

FILE-General view of the Kool-Aid man in the Kool-Aid lounge during the after party for "Spy Kids" in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

What we know:

Surveillance video from a home in Prince's Bay on Staten Island captured two teens setting up their phones to record themselves. Moments later, they ran straight into a fence, caught their breath and did it again.

Unlike the old commercial, smashing through a real fence causes real damage. In New York, damage that costs more than $250 can mean up to four years in prison and damage exceeding $1,500 can carry a sentence of up to seven years behind bars.

A resident who witnessed the incident expressed concern, saying, "The kids are in danger, and they’re ruining property because you don’t know what’s on the other side of the fence." The resident added that "garbage cans are not cheap."

The same "Kool-Aid Man Challenge" first made headlines in 2023, when police in East Northport responded to a similar incident in Suffolk County.