Twisted Tea Video: Twitter User Tracks Down Circle K Featured in Viral Beatdown

The viral video of a fistfight in a Circle K convenience store has brought out the social media [...]

By Michael Hein

The viral video of a fistfight in a Circle K convenience store has brought out the social media sleuths this week. On Saturday, users tracked down the shop where the now-infamous "Circle K Twisted Tea Fight" clip was filmed. Twitter user Mauricio tweeted a photo of the unassuming store with the caption: "Where it all went down..."

Social media at large is still reeling from a one minute and 40 second video first posted to Twitter last Thursday, showing a racist man getting hit in the face with a can of Twisted Tea. After repeatedly shouting a racial slur and daring a Black man to hit him, the racist was soaked, knocked down and pummeled before finally conceding the confrontation. It turns out that the fight took place in Elyria, Ohio, and Mauricio correctly identified the Circle K in question, according to an analysis by Know Your Meme.

The video has taken the world by storm, with commentary from rapper Snoop Dogg and other public figures to help boost it. However, so far there have been no real legal consequences for either of the brawlers. Elyria police Lt. James Welsh gave a statement to The Chronicle-Telegram, saying that authorities believe they know the two men in the video. Still, so far, no official report has been filed. It is not clear if an investigation is underway.

The Black man in the video who wielded the Twisted Tea can expertly enough to spawn a whole genre of memes has come forward publicly, however. On Wednesday, Barry Allen — a.k.a. "Mr. TeaKO" — gave an interview with Mark One Sports on YouTube about the encounter. He described what happened before the camera started rolling.

"As soon as I walk in, he's standing with his friends, I was assuming, and calling the employees, two Black guys, n—ers," he said. "I'm like, all right. Let's just hope he leaves by the time I get up there... So, I ignored it. And he's still there, still saying the word like he was just a normal Black guy having fun with all his buddies, just chilling. And you could tell by their faces they wasn't really feeling it, but they can't say nothing cause that'll put their job on the line."

"Me, I didn't feel that way," Allen continued. "I'm like 'c'mon, bro, stop saying the word. Why you shouting out 'n—, bro?' He's like, 'Man, I say n— whenever I want. Leave me alone,' and pretty much went back to his conversation. I'm like 'c'mon, stop saying the f—ing word. You're really pissing me off now.'"

"That's when I pick it up and he goes to kick it. He really didn't kick me but I felt the kick coming. So I just reacted at that point," Allen said calmly. He then confirmed that the video had gone viral in almost no time. "I called my wife as soon as I got in the car. By the time I got in the car and started moving and backed out and got on the road, I'm telling my wife, 'I hit a guy in the face with a can.' She's like, 'I know. I'm watching it.'The lady had 5,000 views by the time I drove two blocks home."

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