Federal Charges for YouTuber After Helicopter Fireworks Stunt Hits Lamborghini

A popular YouTuber known for his outrageous stunts is now facing serious legal trouble. Suk Min Choi, who goes by Alex Choi on social media, has been charged with causing the placement of an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft following a social media stunt that involved shooting fireworks from a helicopter at a Lamborghini.

The charges originate from a video Choi posted around July 4, 2023, titled “Destroying a Lamborghini With Fireworks.” According to a federal criminal affidavit filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the video starts with what appears to be a live-action recreation of a video game scene.

In this scene, Choi presses a “fire missiles” button, prompting two women in a moving helicopter to launch fireworks at the luxury sports car. The video then transitions to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the stunt. Choi allegedly coordinated the shoot and made several references to his involvement.

At one point, he thanked a camera company for participating in his “crazy stupid ideas” and admitted that his team “f***** up” because he forgot to instruct a friend on how to use a torch properly.

Choi, who boasts 924,000 subscribers on YouTube and 1.2 million followers on Instagram, ended the filming when someone asked if they would shoot again. The video, nearly 11 minutes long, shows the explosive stunt and Choi’s interactions with his crew.

According to the court document, Choi had written that his idea was to create a short video of an “attack helicopter shooting missiles (mortar style fireworks) at the car, while the car is trying to run away and dodge the missiles using flares (roman candle fireworks attached to the back of the car).” Text messages between Choi and the camera company discussed capturing “insane 360-degree bumper shots with firecrackers.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) interviewed a drone operator involved in the shoot, who expressed concerns about the stunt and stated he tried to keep his distance from the helicopter. Another drone operator mentioned a spontaneous safety talk led by Choi before filming began. However, there were no first responders present on site during the shoot.

The Justice Department’s news release highlights the dangerous nature of the stunt and the serious legal consequences that Choi now faces. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential repercussions of social media stunts that disregard safety and legal boundaries.