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Here's an easy way to get a video to go viral.
First, find an FBI agent capable of doing a backflip — and make sure he's armed.
Then put him in the middle of the dance floor at a hip watering hole — like, say, Mile High Spirits Distillery in Denver's Ballpark neighborhood — and make sure cell phones are recording when he busts his move.
And accidentally busts a cap into an innocent bystander.
The incident took place at approximately 12:45 a.m. on Saturday, June 2, and by the next day, the social-media explosion that accompanied the clip had spread to the mainstream news media nationwide.
As evidence, eyeball this ABC News report, tagged "Danger on the Dance Floor."
The story is continuing to spread today. But as amusing as it is to watch network anchors grapple with this material, the reactions of Twitter users are even more interesting.
Plenty of commenters have offered takes that are all in fun. But lots of others are using the opportunity to equate the episode to matters of serious debate, including firearms safety and the idea of arming teachers in classrooms.
Our favorite? A reaction that references President Donald Trump and fired FBI director James Comey.
Nicely played, Twitter. Count down our twenty most memorable tweets about the thus-far-unnamed agent's (almost) lethal choreography below.
Number 20:
That FBI agent who dropped his gun doing while dancing in a nightclub should've learned from the incomparable Andrew Bains Bernard that dancing in a circle is never the time to try something new. It only leads to pain. pic.twitter.com/SUgkAnV0pN
— Holly Howell (@Holly_Howell) June 4, 2018
Number 19:
But he scored a 9(mm) on the backflip..
— Pete Kurz -SSM #1608 (@PKurz01) June 3, 2018
Number 18:
@FBIAgentsAssoc defended themselves against Trump & America as professionals. Ummmm....when do y'all start dancing lessons? Is @FBIDenver first?
— FrawdDawg (@PeterJ1955) June 4, 2018
Number 17:
If discharging your firearm while doing a back flip wasn't apart of @FBI field training before, it sure will be from now on #FBI #Denver
— Helgi Steinar (@helgistones) June 4, 2018
Number 16:
Damn, @FBIDenver has hired retards, and proved it last night. Unlike his gun, he should be Fired on purpose
— Adam Walker (@adamwalkerwho) June 3, 2018
Number 15:
Shitstick didn’t even gonlook for the guy who was shot! In the military, you lose your right to carry a weapon for doing stupid shit like that. @FBI @FBIDenver
— Tio Santiago (@TioSantiagoG) June 4, 2018
Number 14:
Would his face be obscured if instead of an @FBIDenver agent this had been a Black kid dropping a gun during a backflip in a club?
— Kemp Honeycutt (@Kemp13) June 3, 2018
Also, no investigation needed.
1. You're an idiot.
2. You're fired.
3. Seriously - you're an idiot.https://t.co/Q8OUm7O5M6
Number 13:
And this fool cannot dance for shit AND he's drunk with a gun!
— spazcat (@Theferal1ishr) June 4, 2018
Number 12:
Teachers dance and act dramatically, and with their students every day!
— Walter Gilliam (@WalterGilliam) June 4, 2018
A video of an FBI agent dancing, his gun falling to the ground and discharging to hit a bystander.
Here is the danger of arming teachers (if you multiple this one agent by about 3.6 million US teachers). https://t.co/MOkfGBWepY
Number 11:
— SteelMemes_DankBeams (@full_of_bees) June 3, 2018
Number 10:
And when I go shopping I bring a Bazooka Dancing FBI agent accidentally fires gun in Denver nightclub, injuring 1 https://t.co/BtJDWU9mCT
— Michelle L. C. (@Tye1on33) June 4, 2018
Number 9:
So a 'dancing' FBI agent in a nightclub drops gun, picks it up and accidentally shoots someone in the leg. Sigh. Climate change is the least of our problems. #dance
— Sanjay Burman (@BurmanBooks) June 4, 2018
Number 8:
"Off-duty FBI agent accidentally shoots man while doing back flip, dancing"
— Celio (@CelioCyl) June 4, 2018
- Why would someone, in this case, an off duty FBI agent take a gun into a night club? He's obviously drunk as well. Hence, THIS IS AMERICA. https://t.co/7DDH80GzeN
Number 7:
I'm currently just here for the cat+nap memes, & the (off-duty gun carrying) FBI agents guns going off after dancing & doing backflips at nightclubs.https://t.co/islS8CkWop
— DolphinsDancer (@DolphinsDancer) June 3, 2018
Let's be honest tho..those moves were pretty lame.
Number 6:
FBI agent deserves to go to jail! Plexico Burress did 20 months for accidentally shooting HIMSELF in the thigh in a nightclub in 2008. FBI agents gun went off striking someone else due to his clowning & showing off. https://t.co/oOhRaEjUHe
— Hawaii Shira (@HawaiiShira) June 3, 2018
Number 5:
It’s a good thing there was a “good” FBI agent, with a gun, in that Denver night club otherwise “no one” would have been shot!
— Mack Brazel (@Mackbrazel) June 3, 2018
Number 4:
MAY BE THIS FBI AGENT SHOULD GO THRU A CCW COURSE JUST AS WE CC HOLDERS DO. APPARENTLY LITTLE SKILL WITH A HANDGUN. FBI agent accidentally fires gun while dancing at a Denver nightclubhttps://t.co/uv5HnrCGrx
— Wildbill (@BillWrh1970) June 3, 2018
Number 3:
Some off duty FBI agent did a back flip at the mile high bar last night and his gun fell out and went off...someone got shot in the leg. Lmao what a fucking moron.
— AbberantApexApe (@abberantis) June 3, 2018
Number 2:
So did the FBI agent win the dance off or not? #fbi #denver #coolbackflipbro
— Smith in DC (@smithreally) June 4, 2018
Number 1:
"I totally fired Comey because he lets FBI agents recklessly breakdance with loaded guns!" - Trump tweet tomorrow
— Earl Fando (@earlfando) June 4, 2018
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