We've seen people who dress up as costumed heroes do amazing things, like Lenny Robinson, the man who wears a Batman suit to hospitals to cheer up sick kids. And many of the so-called "real-life superheroes" are ordinary people who happen to do their (non-violent) community service in costume as a classic symbol of justice and goodwill.
But their are some who view themselves as costumed crimefighters, like Seattle's controversial Phoenix Jones. This week, one such real-life superhero allegedly engaged in some villainous activity, and found that the costume doesn't protect you from the legal consequences of your actions.
Bee Sting, the nom de guerre for Adam Thomas Besso, is a member of the Michigan Protectors, a self-appointed group of "costumed activists." Bee Sting was patrolling a mobil home park in Burton, Michigan, Thursday morning, outfitted with a tactical belt, pepper spray, scissors and handcuffs, a bullet-proof vest, and a shotgun (as tipster Jason noted, a bit on the Punisher side of the spectrum), when he decided that noise pollution control fell under his superhero duties. He approached a couple in the park because their motorcycle was too loud, and the ensuing argument escalated to the point that Bee Sting reportedly pointed his shotgun at the man. The pair struggled, and the shotgun fired, striking a nearby trailer. The police arrived on the scene, and Bee Sting was arrested for felony assault.
Assuming this all went down the way it was reported, this is precisely why superheroes need a code, preferably one that involves never aiming a gun at another person ever. A heated conversation can easily turn a quick-tempered vigilante into a full-fledged villain. On the other hand, if Bee Sting was bringing a loaded gun to a conversation about a loud bike, there may have been more than a little villain in him to begin with.
Photo from the Michigan Protectors website.
Burton police arrest Michigan Protectors member Bee Sting for felonious assault at Twin Meadows [MLive via Michigan Radio via MetaFilter]