In today’s hyper‑connected world, the phrase “10 selfies went” has become a cautionary mantra for anyone who thinks a quick snap can’t have consequences. While selfies often capture spontaneous joy, they sometimes spiral into chaotic, costly, or even tragic events. Below, we count down ten jaw‑dropping moments where a simple desire for a perfect picture turned into a story worth a double‑take.

10 selfies went: The Rise of Dangerous Selfies

10. Pumpkin Sculpture Damage

In February 2017, a visitor to Washington, D.C.’s Hirshhorn Museum attempted a selfie with Yayoi Kusama’s famed pumpkin installation, only to tumble off a platform and knock a pumpkin off its perch. The accidental strike left a visible dent in the artwork, forcing the museum to replace the damaged piece.

The piece was part of Kusama’s expansive Infinity Mirrors exhibition, which celebrates her six‑decade legacy as the “princess of polka dots.” The incident highlighted how a momentary quest for a perfect pose can jeopardize priceless art.

9. Hypercaine Exhibition Damage

July 2017 saw a woman in Los Angeles reach for the perfect angle at The 14th Factory, only to trigger a domino effect that devastated Simon Birch’s Hypercaine showcase. Leaning against a pedestal, she lost balance; each stand toppled the next, sending sculptures crashing to the floor. The cascade resulted in roughly $200,000 worth of damage, with three works permanently ruined and several others scarred.

Birch’s ambitious display, featuring collaborators Gabriel Chan, Jacob Blitzer, and Gloria Yu, was originally praised as a series of “over‑the‑top sets for the perfect selfie.” The irony was stark: a selfie‑seeker became the very cause of the exhibition’s downfall.

8. Statue Of The Two Hercules Damage

In 2015, two tourists in Cremona, Italy, attempted a daring climb atop the historic Statue of the Two Hercules to capture a selfie, inadvertently dislodging the marble crown that crowns the dual figures. The crown shattered on the piazza floor, breaking into fragments as the tourists scrambled down.

The 18th‑century marble masterpiece, an emblem of the city since its relocation to Piazza del Comune in 1962, suffered a rare act of vandalism. Authorities identified the culprits and began assessing the full extent of the damage to the historic work.

7. Crocodile Bite

January 2017 brought a terrifying twist to a Thai adventure when French tourist Benetulier Lesuffleur, 47, chased a crocodile for a selfie in Khao Yai National Park. Ignoring clear signage to stay on the trail, she sprinted toward the pond, slipped, and plunged into the water where the reptile clamped onto her leg.

Rescue teams swiftly extracted her, and she was transported by stretcher to a local hospital. Doctors reported a full recovery expected, but the incident underscored the perils of wildlife selfies when caution is tossed aside.

6. Fall From A Bridge

An unidentified young woman from Sacramento, California, took an ill‑advised selfie beneath the Foresthill Bridge on April 4, 2017. While navigating a restricted catwalk, she lost her footing, tumbling 18 meters (about 60 feet) to the trail below.

Law enforcement noted the walkway was closed to the public, yet no citations were issued. Deputies posted a warning on Facebook, emphasizing that a selfie‑induced fall should deter future trespassing. The woman was airlifted to a hospital and expected to survive the ordeal.

5. Driving While Topless

College sophomore Miranda Kay Rader, 19, mixed intoxication with a quest for a topless Snapchat selfie on October 27, 2016. While trying to capture the daring pose, she lost control of her SUV, slamming into the rear of a police cruiser.

Officers reported hearing squealing brakes before the impact and discovering an open wine bottle in her cup holder. Rader faced charges for driving while intoxicated and possession of alcohol as a minor, posting a $2,000 bond to secure her release.

4. Electrocution

In March 2014, a 21‑year‑old man from Andújar, Spain, climbed onto a moving train to snap a selfie, only to touch a live 3,500‑volt wire. The sudden jolt proved fatal; paramedics found him already deceased, while his companion survived a severe shock.

The incident sparked debate over the dangers of seeking daring backdrops for photos, emphasizing that a momentary thrill can have irreversible consequences.

3. Train Fatality

November 2014 saw a heartbreaking tragedy in Belgium when 12‑year‑old Charlotte, daughter of Carla Nunez, was struck by a train while posing for a selfie on the tracks. The Belgian rail operator SNCB later billed Nunez $21,400 for track‑repair costs.

Nunez expressed shock at receiving a damage invoice rather than an insurance claim, describing it as a “hammer blow.” She confronted SNCB’s chief executive, demanding accountability. Belgian MP David Geerts condemned the railway’s insensitivity, urging empathy over financial penalties.

2. Gunshot To The Head

On May 21, 2015, a 21‑year‑old Russian office worker attempted a daring selfie while holding a 9‑mm handgun to her temple. The weapon, left behind by a security guard, discharged when she inadvertently squeezed the trigger, wounding herself in the temple.

She survived, listed in “serious condition” by Moscow’s Sklifosovsky Hospital. A year later, a similar incident unfolded in India: 15‑year‑old Ramandeep Singh pointed his father’s .32‑caliber pistol at his own head for a selfie, pulled the trigger, and succumbed to the fatal wound.

1. Self‑Incrimination

Police investigations in Krasnodar, Russia, uncovered a chilling tableau of self‑inflicted documentation. Dmitry Baksheev, 35, and his wife Natalya, 42, were suspected of murdering up to 30 individuals over two decades. In September 2017, road workers discovered Baksheev’s phone, replete with selfies of him posing with a severed hand and other dismembered body parts.

Searches of their military barracks dormitory revealed frozen human meat, salted body fragments, and a jar containing the same severed hand featured in the selfies. Authorities believe the couple drugged victims with ether and Corvalol before killing them, storing the remains in freezers and a cellar. Both confessed to the gruesome acts, yet sentencing remains pending.

Amid the macabre details, author Gary Pullman, a UNLV instructor, noted the bizarre coincidence of the couple’s location near Area 51, hinting at “a lot” of unexplained intrigue.

While Halloween jokes have become more popular than ever—think the endless antics on Impractical Jokers—they can quickly turn from harmless fun into genuine danger. The top 10 halloween misfires listed below prove that a prank gone wrong can lead to jail time, severe injuries, lawsuits, and even death.

Top 10 Halloween Pranks That Went Awry

10. False Alarm

In the autumn of 2010, a pair of parents living in rural Galatia, Illinois, decided to give their kids a fright by staging a staged murder scene in which the mother appeared to be the victim.

The two youngsters, aged six and eight, truly believed their mother had been slain. Panicked, they sprinted to the neighbor’s house, prompting a 911 call reporting a homicide.

Relying on the children’s frantic account, the neighbor told the dispatcher that the mother had been strangled by “Michael Meyers,” the notorious killer from the classic horror film Halloween. Coincidentally, a Meyers family resided nearby.

Deputies from Saline County arrived to discover the whole affair was a fabricated tragedy. Sheriff Keith Brown remarked, “I’d rather deal with an embarrassing situation and a prank that went awry than deal with what was originally reported.” No criminal charges were filed.

9. Ghost

On October 31, 1885, a Capitol Police officer patrolling the shadowy corridors of the U.S. Capitol heard an eerie groan echoing from Statuary Hall.

Investigating, he entered the circular chamber and spotted what appeared to be a spectral figure. Instinctively, he drew his revolver and fired, leaving bullet marks on the historic wall.

Unbeknownst to him, his partner had disguised himself as the ghost, and the frightened officer’s aim missed its target, allowing the “apparition” to escape unscathed. The incident soon entered Capitol folklore.

8. Killer Clown

Michael March, an 18‑year‑old, chose a clown costume for Halloween, but his antics quickly crossed the line. He chased a pregnant woman while brandishing an axe, prompting the woman to hurl a brick at the “killer clown” before fleeing.

Later that night, around 9 p.m. on October 30, 2016, March thumped his axe on the ground, startling a passing couple who promptly called the police.

During questioning, March claimed he never intended harm, saying he was merely copying the “killer clown” pranks he’d once experienced in Gateshead, England. His defense highlighted a clean record and his role caring for his grandfather. Nevertheless, Judge Jamie Hill deemed the act “serious whatever the context,” sentencing him to six months behind bars.

7. Chainsaw Maniac

Frank Alba posed as a deranged butcher wielding a chainsaw on Halloween night 2011 in Nebraska. He lay in wait for 12‑year‑old Leslie Garcia, who, after spotting Alba’s setup, approached cautiously.

When Leslie drew near, Alba revved the chainsaw, sending the girl fleeing in terror. In her panic she stumbled into the path of a passing Ford F‑250, sustaining injuries to her head, neck, arms, legs, back, and spine.

Although Leslie survived, her father filed a lawsuit against Alba and American Family Insurance, asserting that the incident was not a joke but a malicious act that would cause lifelong pain and psychological trauma.

6. Mad Maimer

On October 31, 2010, Cynthia Swanson hosted a Halloween party in Arlington Heights, a Chicago suburb. Dressed in a mask, she armed herself with electric hedge clippers and waited outside for the children to emerge.

When the kids appeared, Swanson lunged forward, swinging the energized clippers toward them. One boy, the son of Jeffrey Flowers and Melody Pekarnek, raised his hands in defense, but the clippers sliced his fingers and hand.

The family sued Swanson for $350,000, alleging negligence, battery, and willful misconduct. The lawsuit claimed the clippers remained powered, leaving the boy with permanently maimed and deformed fingers and a likely chronic “distress and disability.”

5. Curious Arsonist

In October 2003, 14‑year‑old Donald Awalt of Ellsworth, Maine, suffered third‑degree burns after a Halloween prank at a school assembly went horribly wrong.

A 15‑year‑old classmate, curious about the flammability of Awalt’s “army sniper” costume made of leaves and grass‑like material, ignited it with a lighter, watching the flames engulf the outfit.

Students scrambled for exits as the fire spread. Awalt was rescued from the bleachers by a staff member and peers using a coat and fire extinguisher. Prosecutors charged the arsonist with reckless conduct, aggravated assault, and arson, resulting in detention at a Charleston facility.

4. Trick‑Or‑Treaters

In 1979, a 32‑year‑old man named Enrique Solis was left critically injured after a Halloween prank escalated into a violent assault.

While walking with his girlfriend Maria Rodriquez, they encountered a group of eight to ten teenage boys. One of them shouted, “Trick or treat,” prompting Solis to warn his partner to stay back.

After an exchange of words, the youths opened fire, striking Solis in the arm and lung, and also stabbing him in the right thigh. Officer Frank Paulson of the 106th Precinct later remarked, “In some neighborhoods, they hit you with chalk on Halloween. Here, they shoot you.”

3. Hanged Man

In 2013, 16‑year‑old Jordan Morlan of Louisville, Kentucky, attempted to scare his younger sister by slipping a noose over his own head as a Halloween yard decoration.

The sister alerted their mother, Ginger Rodriguez, who initially thought it was a harmless prank. However, when the sister reported drool running from Jordan’s mouth, Rodriguez rushed outside, only to find her son motionless and unable to lift him.

Paramedics transported Jordan to the hospital, where he remained comatose and later died of organ failure twelve hours after the incident. Police determined he lost consciousness as the noose tightened, turning a prank into a fatal tragedy.

2. Egged

Karl Jackson, freshly 21, was driving with his girlfriend to a child’s party in the Bronx on Halloween night 1998 when a group of teenagers began pelting their car with eggs.

When Jackson confronted the egg‑throwers, 17‑year‑old Curtis Sterling drew a handgun and shot Jackson in the head, killing him. Sterling received a 20‑year prison sentence. Each year he receives a Halloween card from Jackson’s mother reading, “I’m glad you’re still there.”

Egging, a classic Halloween prank, has sparked multiple violent reprisals. In 1994, a man shot after being egged in Brooklyn fatally stabbed a 12‑year‑old. In 1996, an egg fight led to a teenager being wounded in the neck. In 2005, Joseph Padro was shot to death after pursuing teens who had egged his vehicle; the shooter, 15‑year‑old Jeffrey Ivey, pleaded guilty to second‑degree murder and received a five‑to‑life sentence.

1. Martian Invasion

The most infamous Halloween prank ever was Orson Welles’s October 30, 1938 radio broadcast of War of the Worlds, adapted from H.G. Wells’s novel.

The program opened with realistic‑sounding news bulletins announcing strange disturbances on Mars, followed by reports of disasters at actual U.S. locations, and culminated in a dramatized alien invasion causing mass casualties.

Although four announcements warned listeners that the show was a dramatization, many tuned in late and believed the reports were genuine. A ten‑second eerie silence triggered panic, with people fleeing in cars and flooding telephone lines with frantic calls. Some required medical treatment for shock.

Welles concluded by assuring the audience it was a prank, quipping, “If your doorbell rings and there’s nobody there, that was no Martian… it’s Halloween.” The broadcast sparked public outrage, with newspapers describing the reaction as “a tidal wave of panic.” H.G. Wells threatened legal action, and there were rumors of governmental scrutiny of CBS. The episode remains a landmark example of a prank that captured the nation’s imagination.

10 professional wrestling might have predetermined outcomes, but those outcomes only matter if the athletes actually stick to the script. As you’re about to discover, that isn’t always the case. Whether a stiff blow is used to remind a rival of the backstage hierarchy, an over‑zealous chair strike lands on a head, or a bout devolves into a genuine life‑threatening assault, anything can happen once the script is tossed out the window, often with disastrous results.

This list showcases some of the most extreme and graphic incidents ever captured inside a wrestling ring. If you’re uneasy about graphic violence against both men and women, now is the perfect moment to look away.

10 professional wrestling: When the Script Falls Apart

10 The Stardom Incident

Famously remembered as a nightmarish bout in Japan, the showdown between Act Yasukawa and Yoshiko was slated to be the main‑event title clash for the women’s promotion Stardom. Instead of a clean, scripted contest, the encounter erupted into a real‑life brawl that made national headlines and ultimately ended one wrestler’s career. Early in the match, the diminutive Act seemed to land a genuine punch on Yoshiko’s face; Yoshiko retaliated with a barrage of serious blows that turned the contest into a horror‑show, leaving Act’s visage brutally battered.

When officials finally intervened, Act was diagnosed with a broken cheekbone, a fractured orbital bone, and a shattered nose that required immediate surgery. Those injuries forced her into retirement, and the fallout mandated that medical personnel be present at every subsequent Stardom match. Yoshiko faced an indefinite ban from Stardom, though she continued to find work with other Japanese promotions.

9 Mick Foley Gets Hit in the Head with a Chair Eleven Times

Back in 2010, WWE instituted a ban on direct chair shots to the head in an effort to curb concussions and potential brain damage. Unfortunately for Mick Foley, this rule arrived a full eleven years too late. During a match with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Foley agreed to endure five chair blows while the two wrestlers moved around the arena, but the chaotic chase resulted in a staggering eleven unprotected strikes to his scalp.

The relentless assault left Foley with a deep gash that bled profusely, all while his wife and young children watched in stunned silence. Though he only required stitches, the incident marked the beginning of a decline for the hardcore legend, as he later began experiencing noticeable memory issues.

8 Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle Nearly Gets Arm Broken

In an attempt to capture the early‑2000s reality‑TV craze, WWE launched the Tough Enough series, where hopeful wrestlers competed in live challenges for a million‑dollar contract. One such challenge pitted Olympic gold‑medalist Kurt Angle against a contestant named Daniel Pruder, an experienced MMA fighter.

Pruder managed to lock Angle into a kimura, twisting his arm painfully backward. Sensing disaster, WWE officials abruptly called the match in Angle’s favor, claiming a pin had occurred during the hold. Both participants later offered wildly different accounts, but the referee confirmed the decision was made to protect Angle’s arm—and his pride.

7 Big Van Vader Loses an Eye, Puts It Back In

Big Van Vader, a colossal force in the ring, was notorious for occasionally landing real punches. His opponent, Stan Hansen, shared the same penchant. When they clashed in 1990, the two exchanged brutal blows until Vader suddenly pulled off his mask, revealing a shocking sight: his eye had literally popped out of its socket.

Defying logic, Vader pushed the wayward eye back into place and continued the melee, pausing intermittently to reposition it as it kept slipping out during the exchange. The gruesome spectacle lasted a harrowing twelve minutes before the match naturally concluded. Vader later required surgery to preserve his vision.

6 Wrestler Pulls off His Mask, Nearly Gets His Neck Snapped

For many luchadores, the mask is sacrosanct. El Santo, for instance, guarded his identity so fiercely that he arranged secret travel plans to keep customs officials from seeing his face. The only time he ever removed the mask on television was days before his death from a heart attack. In a similar vein, the wrestler known as Dirtbike Kid entered a “mask‑off” loser‑takes‑the‑mask match against Great Sasuke.

Defiantly, Dirtbike Kid ripped off his mask before the bout even began, nullifying any stakes the promoters had built. He then ignored Sasuke’s staged attacks until the Great Sasuke escalated to a genuine assault, locking Dirtbike Kid in a brutal neck‑wrench choke. The pain was audible as Dirtbike Kid screamed, and Sasuke was declared the victor, effectively ending Dirtbike Kid’s career.

5 Audience Member Whips a Nine‑Volt Battery at Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels, now a legend, was once labeled a bit of a prima donna in the 1990s. Ahead of WrestleMania 14, he was slated to lose the championship to Steve Austin—a decision he loathed. Rumors swirled that The Undertaker was on standby to “convince” him to comply.

While Michaels eventually agreed to the loss, chaos erupted during the filming of a promotional video when an audience member hurled a nine‑volt battery into the ring, striking Shawn squarely on his forehead. Already irked by the upcoming defeat, Michaels exited the arena, leaving fans to wonder if this incident would derail the multi‑million‑dollar spectacle. Ultimately, he performed his part, but the battery incident nearly derailed the entire show.

4 Asuka Purposefully Has the Most Uncomfortable Match Ever

During a mixed tag bout, Asuka teamed with Naomichi against Meiko and Minoru Suzuki. The match proceeded normally until Asuka entered the ring with her idol, Suzuki, who opened with a terrifying head‑butt and proceeded to deliver a series of stiff punches and kicks that appeared unequivocally real.

Despite the other wrestlers’ attempts to intervene, Suzuki persisted until he finally pinned Asuka. The brutality seemed unprovoked, but in truth Asuka had orchestrated the ordeal. She admired Suzuki’s stiff style and specifically asked him to hold nothing back, wanting to showcase just how vicious a match could become. Suzuki obliged, delivering a beating that left viewers horrified.

3 Wendi Richter Gets Cheated by the Company

Wendi Richter may not be as instantly recognizable as Hulk Hogan, yet in the 1980s she stood among the top female talent, holding the women’s championship and poised for a lucrative contract renewal. Her fate took a dark turn when she was booked against a mysterious newcomer dubbed the Spider Lady—a figure no one had ever seen before.

Fans and announcers soon realized the Spider Lady was none other than The Fabulous Moolah, concealed behind a mask. Despite promises that Richter would win, Moolah rolled her up and was declared the new champion, even as Richter kicked out and tried to continue the match. In protest, Richter seized the belt and refused to hand it over, effectively ending her run with the company. She never wrestled for WWE again, only returning decades later for a Hall of Fame induction.

2 Katsuyori Shibata’s Life‑Changing Headbutt

In Japanese wrestling, headbutts are a staple of hard‑hitting drama, and Katsuyori Shibata had built a reputation for delivering them with bone‑crushing force. That reputation shattered during his bout with Kazuchika Okada for NJPW, when Shibata executed his signature head‑butt, cracking Okada’s skull and simultaneously bursting open his own.

The impact caused a subdural hematoma, leading to bleeding in Shibata’s brain. As the match progressed, he became increasingly paralyzed on his right side, losing the ability to walk and speak. Okada eventually delivered a final massive strike and secured the pin. Shibata attempted to exit the arena but collapsed before reaching the exit. After multiple emergency surgeries and months of rehabilitation, he regained the ability to walk and talk, later appearing at an NJPW event to announce his survival.

1 Owen Hart Falls to His Death During Pay‑Per‑View

Considering the relentless physical toll wrestlers endure, it’s surprising how few lose their lives in the ring. Yet on the night of WWE’s Over the Edge pay‑per‑view in 1999, Owen Hart paid the ultimate price during a stunt that went tragically wrong.

Hart was portraying the Blue Blazer, a comedic superhero persona, and was set to be lowered from the rafters via a harness, then detach and face‑plant into the ring. Unfortunately, the safety equipment released prematurely while Hart was still nearly 80 feet above the arena, causing him to fall chest‑first into the ropes, which catapulted him into the ring in front of the live audience.

Medical personnel rushed him away as the show continued, and it was soon announced that Hart had died from the fall. The Hart family later sued WWE, reaching an out‑of‑court settlement. The Over the Edge broadcast was pulled from re‑air for fifteen years and, when finally shown, the fatal fall was heavily edited out.