A trio of movie theater pranksters in a Toronto suburb discovered that you can’t yell at someone with a gun in a crowded movie theater to create social media clicks, especially if there’s no gun.
In an uproar over free speech that does not include falsely shouting “fire” in a crowded theater, Durham Regional Police said Tuesday that three young men were arrested outside the 24-screen Landmark Cinema theater complex in Whitby, Ont., on March 17, 2026, after anxious patrons ran for the exits. After investigation, the trio was charged with causing disturbance and mischief.
Comedy pranks in movie theaters have become a growing genre on social media platforms, but the incident in suburban Toronto has legal implications. Durham Regional Police said its officers responded to an “armed person call” at the movie theater and were directed to three young men who were spotted outside the cinema.
“Customers were forced to leave the movie theater after several men shouted that someone had a firearm,” a police media release said. Durham Regional Police added: “Further investigation revealed that the men were creating content on social media and had deliberately created a false disturbance to generate a reaction that they could film.”
No injuries were reported after the shooting, but their pursuit of attention led to criminal charges being filed against two 23-year-olds, Vic Wamiq Ayoub and Jayden Joseph Anthony Mosquera, and a 17-year-old who cannot be named because he is considered a minor.
Police have appealed to the public for help as part of the case of the alleged criminal prank at the cinema against the three men.
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