Dystopian moment hardworking mechanic's auto shop is overrun by huge mob of weapon-wielding 'pranksters'
David Hyland, 50, was at his Tempe-based Hyland Auto Repair shop on the afternoon of July 3 when two unfamiliar men approached the garage, boldly claiming that they planned to take over his business, AZ Family reported.
Within seconds, more than a dozen people poured out of a white van and swarmed the shop's garage, leaving employees bewildered and fearing a potential crime.
'We didn't know if it was a robbery. We didn't know if they were going to start grabbing equipment,' Hyland told the outlet.
'We had no idea what was going on. It happened quickly,' he added.
Security cameras captured the first two men approaching employees standing just outside the garage's entrance.
The interaction took an unsettling turn when the men claimed they'd been sent to take over Hyland's business and a van suddenly sped up and screeched to a halt beside the puzzled group of mechanics.
Hyland described what initially looked like an ambush as '20 guys with tire irons, impact wrenches, and screwdrivers' who ran inside and began inspecting cars and equipment, AZ Family reported.
The tools were 'all items used to work on a car but can also be used as weapons,' he noted.
'We didn't know if they were grabbing stuff and stealing it or just filming a prank.'
Beyond the threat of potential violence, Hyland also feared for the safety of those wreaking havoc inside his shop.
'I was very concerned,' he told the outlet.
'There are lots of things you could get tripped on, slip and fall, vehicles in the air - they physically climbed under vehicles, under the hoods,' he added.
At this point, Hyland called the police and closed his shop for the day.
He was also concerned for his customers, worried the intruders might have damaged the vehicles inside.
'All the vehicles that they did lean into or open the doors on, we did call our clients and have them come down and look at their vehicles to make sure nothing was damaged,' Hyland told AZ Family.
Following the bizarre prank, the shop (pictured) closed for the day as Hyland and his team reviewed their inventory to ensure nothing had been stolen, then began reaching out to every customer whose car was inside
Staff eventually discovered that the invasion was nothing more than a social-media stunt.
Tempe police confirmed reports of a content creator pulling similar pranks at other businesses and said they are investigating, the outlet reported.
The creator, who goes by Heston James on TikTok, has shared several videos to the platform showing stunts done at car dealerships and department stores.
He did not respond to an inquiry from AZ Family.
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