One of the more unusual side effects of the popularity of superhero movies and comics is a subculture of people who have become real life supeheroes. Most of these people are just concerned citizens who like dressing in colorful gear and helping their fellow man, more often than not by calling the authorities and helping until they can arrive.
But a few of them have been called out for going too far. Six months ago, one of the more famous real supeheroes, Seattle’s Phoenix Jones, was arrested for assault. Those charges were eventually dropped and Jones returned to his life of heroics.
Now a second costumed vigilante calling himself BeeSting has been charged in Michigan with an assault charge of his own. According to Bleeding Cool, BeeSting (real name Adam Besso) was charged after attacking a man in a trailer park for playing his guitar too loudly. In the altercation, BeeSting’s shotgun (yes… shotgun) is reported to have gone off, hitting a nearby empty trailer. BeeSting has been released on bail for $80,000.
It seems that BeeSting is part of a society of masked heroes called The Michigan Protectors and this group is considering booting him on the grounds that he was carrying a gun. Michigan Protector member Arsenal (aka Joshua Lowery) says of the decision, “We don’t want to be considered vigilantes as much as we want to be considered helping others.”
At the time of his arrest, BeeSting, in addition to his shotgun, was allegedly “wearing a tactical belt with pepper spray, handcuffs, and scissors.” I don’t mind goodhearted people dressing up and helping their neighbors but when they start carrying firearms and attacking people for being a nuisance, I wonder how long it’ll be before we get our own version of the Punisher or a costumed version of the Treyvon Martin case.
To offset the alleged violence, here’s a video of BeeSting helping some stray kittens:
