Georgia youth who taunted cops in TikTok video saying 'come get me b**ch' nabbed after video went viral
LAGRANGE, GEORGIA: A 21-year-old man from Georgia, wanted by police, was arrested two days after he posted a video of himself taunting authorities for failing to catch him. The man, identified as William Reeves Durga, was apprehended by LaGrande police on Friday, July 24, and charged with sale of cocaine and use of a communication facility during the commission of a felony, reports state.
Police, earlier this month, had shared a post on Facebook, asking the public's assistance to help nab Durga as part of a drug probe. The appeal posted by the LaGrange Police Department stated: "Reeves is 21 years old, approximately 5'6' and 140lbs. Anyone with any information regarding his whereabouts should contact the LaGrange Police Department." The 21-year-old's mugshots were also posted on the department's official page.
As officials failed to catch Durga in the coming days, he took to social media last week, posting a video of himself making fun of the police department's post. The 21-year-old shared a video on TikTok of him dancing shirtless in front of an image of the police department's help appeal. The convict also wrote: "Come and get me b**ch," he said addressing the police. Shortly after he posted the video, it became viral and was viewed over 3.7 million times.
The convict also gave an interview to The New York Post about his public taunt to the police. "I haven't been running, they never came to my house or anything. They straight blasted me on social media, so I did it back," Durga told the outlet. The 21-year-old added that he will not turn himself in willingly because country prison is "nasty and full of coronavirus." "They haven't been doing the necessary things to keep it contained. It's beyond overcrowded, nobody gets a court date, it's just wrong how the inmates are treated," he added. Durga did not reveal his whereabouts to the outlet.
The youngster's viral fame, however, resulted in his doom as the video prompted multiple calls to the authorities from people who had inside information about Duga. The tip-offs eventually led officials to track him down in the town of Hamilton, where he was arrested and charged. Reports state that the GBI West Metro Regional Drug Enforcement Office, LaGrange Police Department, and the Troup County Sheriff’s Office worked together to trace and arrest Durga.
The police department released a statement on Facebook after his apprehension, stating that if it were not for Durga's viral video, they would not have received the information they did. "Without Mr Durga's viral TikTok video, we would not have received the amount of tips and information that ultimately led to his arrest, thank you!" the department wrote.
It is not yet clear what Durga's role in the drug investigation launched by the police department is. Officials, at the beginning of the month, had arrested at least seven suspects who were involved in a Georgia Bureau of Investigation operation which involved undercover cops purchasing drugs from a pub in LaGrange. Officials reportedly intend to make more arrests in the probe.