Couple get death threats for clearing store's meat section, bragging about it during coronavirus panic-buying
A couple who was caught on video panic-buying in a supermarket and bragged about cleaning out the meat section is now complaining that they are receiving death threats from their community.
Dan Marcotte became a hated name on social media after a video taken at a Save-On-Foods in Lake Country, British Columbia, showed him and his girlfriend filling two shopping trolleys full of meat and leaving nothing for anybody else.
Marcotte defended his actions by suggesting he had been caught up in the anxiety of the coronavirus pandemic and that he was just looking for the well-being of his family.
"If me and my girlfriend had done this two months ago nobody would say a bloody word. We're getting crucified for buying two carts of meat," he claimed. "We might have gone overboard, but we didn't push people or laugh at anyone."
But it wasn't just that they were hoarding food. Other shoppers, who were at the store at the time, said the couple was obnoxious and "even ran in front of other customers, cutting them off" to ensure they would get it all.
"They proceeded to brag to everyone at the till that they 'cleaned house' and 'there’s nothing left for anyone to get'... and laughed about 'hoping they could pay for it all," said Talor Born, a local resident.
"I felt SO sorry for the poor staff, they looked just as disgusted as every customer in the store. I am appalled at our society, this is ridiculous!!"
"When this over, let this be the legacy of greed and pathetic selfishness that these 'people' get to live with the rest of their lives," one person wrote in response to the video. "May their neighbors, family, and everyone else remember them as the people that thought only for themselves, and mindlessly submitted to selfish panic when the chips were down. Hope they never need help from others in life."
"Absolutely disgusted that they were allowed to buy all of this, not to mention these two are so self-centered," another posted. "Lots of families and seniors in this area that also need these supplies. I hope they get massively shamed by people in Lake country for doing this! At the least."
Marcotte said he had been targeted with death threats after the footage went viral and that his own mother was "ashamed" of him for his actions.
"Everybody knows who I am, because I put myself out there, (now) I'm getting death threats and I don't answer the phone so I'm losing business," he said. "My own mother is ashamed of me."
He also brought up how, in the past, he had used his Dan-Mel moving company to help others and had given his moving services away for free to help those in need during the 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons, but that all of it had been forgotten.
"Nobody remembers now. I'm not feeling safe, and me and my girlfriend are scared," he said, adding that he fears his life is in danger and that he is worried his business could go under if people stop calling for his services.