Turning songs into movies offers a unique way to explore the narrative depth embedded in music. While many songs serve as memorable movie themes, few are adapted directly into films that bring the characters and stories within the lyrics to life. These films often delve into the vivid tales depicted in the songs, adding layers of visual storytelling to the lyrical content.

This list of ten movies is based on popular songs, showcasing how filmmakers have expanded upon these musical narratives, creating entertaining experiences and sometimes reflecting relevant social issues. While none of these are classic Hollywood masterpieces, many still enjoy a cult following.

Related: 10 True-Story Movies That Will Restore Faith in Humanity

10 Ode to Billie Joe

The film Ode to Billy Joe (1976) was directed by Max Baer Jr. and starred Robby Benson. It expands on the mysterious and tragic story told in Bobbie Gentry’s 1967 hit song of the same name. Set in rural Mississippi in the 1950s, the movie follows the lives of Billy Joe McAllister and his girlfriend, Bobbie Lee Hartley. The plot centers on the events leading up to Billy Joe’s suicide, exploring themes of love, guilt, and societal pressure. The film attempts to answer the song’s central mystery: why Billy Joe jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

The song’s success and enigmatic story prompted Gentry herself to write a screenplay. The movie adaptation stayed true to the Southern Gothic tone of the song, adding depth to the characters and their backgrounds. Ode to Billy Joe grossed over $27 million, a significant achievement for a film of its genre at the time. It also sparked renewed interest in Gentry’s music, cementing the song’s place in American pop culture.^[1]

9 Take This Job and Shove It

The 1981 film Take This Job and Shove It is a comedy inspired by Johnny Paycheck’s 1977 country hit of the same name. Starrring Robert Hays, Art Carney, and Barbara Hershey, the story follows Frank Macklin, a young executive sent to a small town to improve the efficiency of a brewery. However, Frank faces resistance from the local workers, who are skeptical of his motives. As he reconnects with old friends and rediscovers his roots, Frank must decide whether to prioritize corporate success or the well-being of the community.

The film’s title and premise resonated with American workers facing economic uncertainties in the early 1980s. While it didn’t achieve critical acclaim, it became a cult favorite among fans of workplace comedies. The movie featured cameos from country music stars, including Johnny Paycheck himself, adding an authentic touch to its portrayal of blue-collar life.^[2]

8 The Indian Runner

The Indian Runner (1991), directed by Sean Penn, is based on Bruce Springsteen’s song “Highway Patrolman” from his 1982 album Nebraska. The film tells the story of the Roberts brothers, Joe (David Morse) and Frank (Viggo Mortensen), whose lives take divergent paths. Joe is a highway patrolman dedicated to upholding the law, while Frank is a troubled Vietnam War veteran who struggles to find his place in society. The movie explores themes of family loyalty, guilt, and redemption as Joe grapples with his duty to arrest his own brother.

Sean Penn’s directorial debut received praise for its emotional depth and strong performances. The film remains a poignant exploration of the complexities of brotherhood and moral duty. Penn’s adaptation stays true to the melancholic tone of Springsteen’s song, enhancing its narrative with a rich cinematic portrayal.^[3]

7 Coward of the County

Adapted from Kenny Rogers’ 1979 hit song, Coward of the County (1981) tells the story of Tommy Spencer, a young man known for avoiding conflict. The made-for-TV movie explores his life in a rural Southern town, where he is taunted for his pacifist ways. However, when his beloved Becky is assaulted by a gang called the Gatlin Boys, Tommy is forced to confront his fears and seek justice. The movie delves into themes of courage, vengeance, and moral choices.

Kenny Rogers not only starred in the film but also served as its executive producer. The movie was a ratings success, capitalizing on Rogers’ popularity at the time. Its strong moral message and compelling storyline resonated with audiences, making it a memorable entry in the genre of music-inspired films. ^[4]

6 Alice’s Restaurant

Alice’s Restaurant (1969), directed by Arthur Penn, is based on Arlo Guthrie’s satirical song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree.” The film follows a dramatized version of Guthrie’s own experiences, starting with his visit to Alice and Ray Brock’s home in Massachusetts for Thanksgiving. When Guthrie is arrested for littering, the story spirals into a broader critique of the Vietnam War draft and societal norms. The film’s blend of humor and social commentary captures the spirit of the 1960s counterculture.

The movie was released just a few years after the song’s debut and became a cult classic, embodying the anti-establishment sentiments of the era. Arlo Guthrie’s performance as himself added authenticity to the film. The movie’s success helped cement the song’s place in American folklore and highlighted the power of music as a tool for social change.^[5]

5 Copacabana

The 1985 TV movie Copacabana brings Barry Manilow’s 1978 disco hit to life. The film follows the story of Lola Lamar, a young singer who dreams of making it big at the famous Copacabana nightclub in New York City. As she navigates the challenges of the entertainment industry, Lola finds herself entangled in a love triangle with Tony, a bartender, and Rico, a gangster. The movie captures the glitz and glamour of the nightclub scene set against the backdrop of 1940s New York.

Barry Manilow starred in and composed original songs for the film, expanding on the story told in his hit single. The TV movie was well-received for its nostalgic charm and musical performances. It showcased Manilow’s versatility as a performer and solidified “Copacabana” as one of his signature songs.^[6]

4 Convoy

Convoy (1978), directed by Sam Peckinpah, is inspired by C.W. McCall’s 1975 song of the same name. The film follows trucker Martin “Rubber Duck” Penwald (Kris Kristofferson) as he leads a convoy of fellow truckers across the Southwest in defiance of corrupt law enforcement. The cast also included several 1970’s popular actors, such as Ali McGraw, Ernest Borgnine, and Burt Young. The movie captures the camaraderie and rebellious spirit of the trucking community, set against the backdrop of the 1970s fuel crisis and regulatory challenges.

Despite its mixed critical reception, Convoy became a box office success and a cult classic among fans of action films and trucker culture. Kristofferson’s portrayal of Rubber Duck added depth to the character, while the film’s thrilling chase scenes and memorable dialogue contributed to its enduring popularity. The movie’s success also helped boost the popularity of the CB radio fad of the late 1970s.^[7]

3 The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia

The 1981 film adaptation of The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia is loosely based on the 1972 song by Vicki Lawrence. The story follows siblings Amanda (Kristy McNichol) and Seth (Dennis Quaid), who find themselves embroiled in a web of small-town intrigue and corruption. Amanda and Seth travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to find fame as singers. When Seth is wrongly accused of murder, Amanda sets out to uncover the truth with Conrad (Mark Hamill) and clear his name. The movie blends elements of drama, romance, and suspense, capturing the essence of the song’s Southern Gothic narrative.

Although the film takes some liberties with the song’s storyline, it successfully captures its mood and themes. McNichol’s performance as Amanda received praise, and the film’s atmospheric setting added to its appeal. The movie contributed to the song’s lasting legacy, keeping it relevant in popular culture.^[8]

2 Harper Valley P.T.A.

Harper Valley P.T.A. (1978) is a comedy-drama film based on Jeannie C. Riley’s 1968 hit song of the same name. The story follows Stella Johnson, a single mother who challenges the moral hypocrisy of the Harper Valley P.T.A. after they criticize her lifestyle. Armed with wit and determination, Stella exposes the skeletons in the closets of the self-righteous committee members, turning the tables on them. The film explores themes of social judgment, small-town politics, and personal empowerment.

Barbara Eden, best known for her role in I Dream of Jeannie, brought charm and sass to the character of Stella Johnson, making the film a lighthearted and entertaining watch. The movie’s success led to a short-lived TV series adaptation in 1981, also starring Eden. Harper Valley P.T.A. remains a beloved classic for its humorous take on small-town hypocrisy and its celebration of individualism.^[9]

1 The Legend of Tom Dooley

The Legend of Tom Dooley is a 1959 Western film inspired by The Kingston Trio’s 1958 hit song, which itself is based on the real-life story of Tom Dula, a Confederate soldier accused of murdering his lover. The film follows Tom Dooley as he returns from the Civil War, only to find himself wrongfully accused of murder. As he flees from the law with his fiancée, Laura Foster, the story delves into themes of love, justice, and betrayal in post-war America.

Michael Landon, who later gained fame for his roles in Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie, stars as Tom Dooley, delivering a compelling performance that adds depth to the character. The film captures the tragic romance and the turbulent historical backdrop of the song’s narrative. Although not a major box office hit, it remains an interesting piece of Americana, reflecting the enduring appeal of folk music and historical storytelling.^[10]

+ BONUS: Born in East L.A.

Born in East L.A.(1987) is a comedy film written and directed by Cheech Marin, inspired by the 1984 song of the same name by Cheech and Chong. Their song was in itself a parody of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” The movie follows Rudy Robles (Marin), a Mexican-American who is mistakenly deported to Mexico despite being born and raised in East Los Angeles. Stranded without identification, Rudy embarks on a series of comedic misadventures as he tries to return home. The film addresses themes of identity, immigration, and cultural assimilation with humor and heart.

The film marked Cheech Marin’s directorial debut and showcased his ability to blend comedy with social commentary. It received positive reviews for its humorous yet poignant take on immigration issues and the Mexican-American experience. Born in East L.A. became a cult classic, resonating with audiences for its relatable story and Marin’s charismatic performance. The film’s success also highlighted the growing visibility of Latino culture in mainstream American media.^[11]

Every generation has its own idea of what “futuristic” means. Fifty years ago, that would have been flat-screen TVs, 24-hour ATMs, and other things we take for granted today.

As technological growth is exponential rather than linear, “futuristic” in 2019 means quite a bit more than it did back then. All bets are off at this point as scientific progress is rapidly leaving even our imaginations behind. Most of us didn’t even know that these 10 futuristic technologies were in development, let alone already in existence.

10 Thought-Controlled Prostheses

Humanity has a long history of going out and doing things that take our limbs away. Compared to our early days, prosthetic limbs have a come a long way. They’re not just pieces of wood vaguely shaped like an arm anymore. Today’s prostheses almost look and operate like real limbs.

However, anyone who has lost an arm will tell you that prostheses aren’t anything like the real thing. No matter how advanced they get, they still can’t communicate with the brain and neural network.

Of course, that was until science decided that it was time to build thought-controlled prostheses—and did. In an experiment funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a man from Florida became the first person to be fitted with an artificial limb that can be controlled by thoughts, blurring the line between imagination and reality.

Even if he still can’t do everything he could with his real arm—like splash water on it or drive—the arm largely works as intended.^[1]

9 Full-Fledged 3-D–Printed Organs

3-D printers can print almost anything as long as the blueprint and material is available. From guns to musical instruments to clothes, people who’ve been experimenting with 3-D printing since the technology came out have done unbelievable things with it. Some of 3-D printing’s truly futuristic applications lie in medicine, like printing and replacing organs damaged during accidents.

Although we have previously discussed a San Diego research firm that successfully printed liver tissue, that was not exactly the same as 3-D printing organs because a human organ is much more than just tissue. Almost all our organs are so intricately designed that even our best machines haven’t been able to replicate them yet.

Until now. A researcher from Rice University recently printed a full-scale model of the lung—complete with air pathways and blood vessels mimicking the real thing.^[2] We’ve also come one step closer to perfectly replicating human tissue. In another lab, scientists were able to reprogram the cells of our tissues into stem cells and make a bio ink out of it. The ink could then be used to print a complicated organ—such as the heart—exactly like the real thing.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that we’re now able to completely make a human body on our own, though these advancements are still something we never expected we’d be able to do so soon.

8 Working Retinal Implants

According to WHO estimates, around 1.3 billion people around the world are diagnosed with vision impairment. Many of them suffer from degenerative retinal diseases that cannot be cured. Completely curing blindness would certainly be considered a futuristic proposition, and thanks to groundbreaking research into retinal implants that perfectly mimic the human eye, we may already have the tech to do it.

Recently, scientists made a retinal implant that works exactly like the real thing and successfully tested it in rats. We’d like to note that eye implants already exist, though none of them could fix the damage done to the retina as it’s responsible for taking the information seen through the eye to the brain. This new tech can fix the eye and be used as a replacement for the retina and photoreceptor cells, something that wasn’t possible before.^[3]

In other research, scientists have created a 2-D material that could be used to make an artificial retina. Combine that with the above implants, and we may already possess the tech required to eradicate blindness. However, it will be at least a few more years until it’s perfected and made affordable enough for the masses.

7 Digital Tattoos

You may have heard of the various types of LED screens that scientists are working on, including superthin, foldable screens that we may be able to carry in our pockets like handkerchiefs. But you may not have heard that the same thing could be done to skin. Based on recent developments, we already have the material to do that.

We’re not talking about replacing actual skin. No, these would be tattoo-like augmentations to the skin that would double as displays. If one Japanese research team is to be believed, we’ve already developed the material with which it would be made.^[4]

It could be used for a lot of things, like monitoring heartbeats and other health readings while connected to an app on your smartphone, storing unlock codes for your various devices, or simply serving as over-the-top, bespoke tattoos for really fancy parties.

6 Grow Organs Of One Species In Another

One of the biggest problems with organ transplants is how choosy the human body is when accepting something it didn’t grow on its own. But there may be a way to get around that problem. In another organism, you grow the required organs that perfectly resemble those made by your own body and then transplant them.

If that sounds like something straight out of the distant future, we’re pleased to report that it isn’t anymore. In fact, scientists have already done it in mice. In a study published in Nature, researchers were able to grow pancreas cells for a mouse in rats. (And yes, they are completely different species.)

First, they injected rats with stem cells and did some other complicated science stuff. Then they transplanted the developed pancreas cells into mice with diabetes. To everyone’s surprise, the mice were cured and their sugar levels were kept down for one year. This technique could be used someday to grow whatever organs we need in other animals.^[5]

5 3-D–Printed Nanobots

Nanobots have been imagined in popular fiction as well as the daydreams of budding scientists for quite some time now. In theory, we’d be able to build robots so small that they could enter the bloodstream and carry out minute operations inside the body, like manually killing cancer cells.

We’ve discussed some progress in that field before, though these devices weren’t technically tiny robots. Instead, they were folded DNA strands from another organism, even if they could be called nanobots for all intents and purposes.

More recently, scientists from Hong Kong developed 3-D–printed nanoscale robots with stem cells, nickel, and titanium and successfully used them to deliver cancer cells to a specific location in mice. Of course, the end goal should have been removing the cancer, but that wasn’t what they were testing. They wanted to see if the bots could deliver a payload to a precise location and used cancer cells because they are the easiest to track.^[6]

4 Sending Taste Over The Internet

The Internet has transformed our lives. We can now see and hear what’s going on in different parts of the world by just clicking a few buttons on our smartphones. However, we can only send information that engages our senses of sight and hearing, and it’s still limited by the quality of the recording equipment and the skill of the person recording it. We have no way of sending, for example, what we smell through the Internet.

But we’re one step closer with taste. In a study conducted at the University of Singapore, researchers were able to successfully send a measure of sourness of a lemon drink to a glass of water in another location. They even had people test it out. Although most admitted that the virtual lemon taste was a bit less sour than the real thing, the participants were largely able to identify the taste.

Of course, this has only been tested on a lemon as of now and researchers cannot reproduce the real flavor without simulating olfaction. Still, it’s pretty unbelievable.^[7]

3 Self-Healing Skin

Wear and tear is a major problem for every industry, whether it’s manufacturing, architecture, or medicine. Everyone has to accept that things are going to break down with time, and we have to take that into account when designing things. The problem is especially noticeable in the human body, which gets weaker and more prone to injuries as we age.

If some recent developments are to be believed, we’re not going to have that problem for long. Scientists at the National University of Singapore recently developed a self-healing material that mimics the skin of a jellyfish. The skin is able to repair itself within minutes of being cut or torn and can even withstand coming into contact with water.

While those with more perverse minds could see this as the next step to building realistic sex robots, it has quite a few other uses as well. It can be used to create realistic prostheses, which could be combined with the previously mentioned thought-controlled mechanism to build artificial limbs better than our real ones. This electronic skin is also sustainable because a material that can heal itself doesn’t need to be discarded as waste.^[8]

2 3-D–Printed Food

In the machines vs. humans debate, it’s clear that we’re going to lose quite a few jobs to our metallic counterparts as time progresses. It’s not all misery, though. It’s just another part of the rapid technological progress of the last few decades, which has also helped us in many areas of life. However, we assume that some jobs will always be strictly human endeavors as machines would never be able to do them.

Cooking is definitely one of those jobs as there’s no way that a machine would have an idea of the right ingredients and proportions to make food taste good. However, machines have already proven they can do it as well as we can.

According to Natural Machines, a 3-D food printing company, we already have the technology required to 3-D print food items like burgers and pizzas. Foodini, as their machine is called, is capable of taking ingredients and turning them into dishes that taste as good as those made by people. The best part is that the company is now focusing on health food and fresh ingredients.^[9]

Many other firms are now developing machines that give you the option to 3-D print food items at home.

1 Remote Touching

A big limitation of getting things done is being there to do them. We know it sounds like a philosophical and edgy argument as you obviously have to go places to do things there (like buying groceries). However, many researchers are hard at work trying to overcome that limitation, no matter how impossible it sounds.

Imagine a world where you could have sex with someone across the world like you were there or conduct a remote conference with a version of yourself that could replicate everything you do, including handling things from far away. The concept is so futuristic that we aren’t even able to wrap our heads around how it could be possible. However, a technology developed by researchers at MIT is already able to do just that to a large extent.

Known as inFORM, it’s a shape-shifting interface that can take input from a remote location and precisely replicate those actions in another. inFORM is only the name of the interface, though, as they’re now building quite a few other applications on top of it.^[10]

Take Materiable, which is one of those applications that allows you to remotely handle objects and has even been successfully tested in the lab. It’s able to mimic the properties of a lot of materials found on Earth, like sand, water, and rubber.

Remote handling is only one of its applications as we don’t even know everything that it could be used for yet.

You can check out Himanshu’s stuff at Cracked and Screen Rant, get in touch with him for writing gigs, or just say hello to him on Twitter.

Few moments are as filled with joyful anticipation as a child counting down the days to his or her next birthday. Each night that gets the youngsters closer to their big day is a night that they go to sleep with big smiles on their faces.

Of course, it’s not just looking forward to one number giving way to another and the acknowledgement of growth and change that excites the child. It’s the gathering of friends, the fun to be had, the cake, and, yes, all the presents the child is going to get. In other words, it’s the birthday party that really gets a kid jumping for joy.

Most children’s birthday parties are fun-filled occasions. However, a few begin with fun and end with police sirens and tears on the faces of all those who attended. Here are just a few examples of those awful times when an adult didn’t get the memo about the fun and brought a gun to a child’s birthday party instead.

8 Times People Used Guns To Complain About Service

10 Chuck E. Cheese Birthday Party Shoot-out

In May 1977, the cofounder of video game company Atari opened up a restaurant/entertainment complex that would become a meeting place for giddy children for decades to come. That place, originally called “Pizza Time Theatre,” was Nolan Bushnell’s attempt to create a family-friendly video arcade at a time when they were associated with teenagers looking for trouble.

In the beginning, the entertainment was provided by a group of robotic characters. Their leader was a huge cigar-smoking rat with buck teeth and a distinct Jersey accent. His name was Chuck E. Cheese. In the 1990s, the chain officially became known as Chuck E. Cheese.

Today, the go-to location for children’s birthday parties boasts over 500 locations worldwide. In 2014, the chain’s parent company was purchased for $1.3 billion. However, all this success and birthday cake occasionally has to deal with forces beyond its control.

In late 2019, one of those forces was the temper of Marc Mathurin. His ex-girlfriend Aliyah Thomas and her two-year-old son were at Chuck E. Cheese for a children’s birthday party. They were dropped off by Thomas’s new boyfriend, David Brooks.

Not invited to the party, Brooks waited in his car in the parking lot. Ten minutes later, Mathurin exited Chuck E. Cheese and went straight for Brooks’s car. According to Brooks, Mathurin then fired a shot at Brooks. “He put the gun to my head. The barrel touched me,” said Brooks. Somehow, he escaped without injury.

After the shot was fired, the joyous occasion turned to panic and chaos. Thomas was still safe inside with her son, though not insulated from the chaos. She said, “People came running in and screaming. There was so much commotion.”

Brooks dialed 911, and the parking lot was soon filled with cops. Though Mathurin resisted arrest, police were able to subdue and put cuffs on him.

Understandably shaken by the incident, Thomas wondered if there was anything Chuck E. Cheese could do to better protect families in the future. She said, “I’m just left to wonder, what else can they do? A metal detector? More security? Did they even have a single person in charge of security?”^[1]

9 Dad Pulls Gun Out When Kids Get No Cake

Sometimes, you just plain miss out. Maybe it’s your fault, or maybe it’s someone else’s. But missing out on stuff is a part of life. The way we respond to it goes a long way toward defining who we are and how we’ll react the next time it happens.

For 48-year-old Joseph Hayes, it wasn’t so much what happened to him that triggered him so deeply, it was what his children were forced to endure in June 2011. They were attending another youngster’s birthday party when the host ran out of ice cream and cake before Hayes’s kids had any.

As this was simply unacceptable, Hayes flew into a rage. He yelled, “Y’all didn’t save my kids no damn ice cream and cake.” Then he left the party.^[2]

Soon, though, he returned with a small black handgun stuffed in the back of his pants. According to police, he approached the party host and said, “I ain’t scared to go to jail, just take care of my kids.”

That’s when the host called the police. After his arrest, Hayes told the officers that he didn’t actually bring a gun to the birthday party. Instead, he insisted, he had brought an object that looked like a gun. Either way, Hayes’s bond was set at $30,000.

8 Dad Shoots Self Doing Gun Tricks At Daughter’s Birthday Party

According to parents.com, the first question parents should ask themselves when hiring an entertainer for their youngster’s birthday party is: What type of entertainer would suit my child best?

For one father from Humble, Texas, whose daughter was turning 16, the question was a little different: What type of entertainment would he provide? Unfortunately for him, the answer was gunslinging.

At some point during the festivities, the proud father pulled out his gun and began spinning it in his hand. Somehow, the gun went off and a bullet hit him in the stomach.^[3]

He was rushed to the hospital with a single gunshot wound to his abdomen. No word on the type of gun or whether it was legally purchased.

7 Racists Crash Eight-Year-Old’s Birthday Party

On June 17, 2015, a man named Dylann Roof shot and killed nine people attending a prayer meeting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The roots of the church go all the way back to a group of free blacks and slaves in 1791. In April 1962, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech at the church.

Needless to say, the country was devastated by this racist attack. Then, about a month later, a small group of racists in Douglasville, Georgia, thought it would be a great idea to crash a black girl’s eighth birthday party.

Apparently, Jose Ismael Torres and Kayla Rae Norton, both in their twenties, were among a group of 15 people driving around Paulding and Douglas counties in Georgia (west of Atlanta) with their vehicles all decked out with Confederate battle flags. Torres and the rest of the riders were members of a group called “Respect the Flag.” Judging by their subsequent actions, that is about all they respected.

The group was threatening African Americans and yelling racial slurs as they drove from one area of Georgia to the next. At some point during their racist tour, they came upon an outdoor birthday party for an eight-year-old black girl.

The person who prosecuted the group said, “Victims and witnesses from the party, who were predominantly African American, testified to observing the group of trucks whose passengers were hurling a litany of racial slurs at them as they passed by.”

Then things got even uglier when several in the group got out of their vehicles, approached the partygoers, and threatened to kill them all—including the eight-year-old black girl. At one point, Norton retrieved Torres’s shotgun, loaded it, and handed it to him.

At trial, Torres claimed that he had the shotgun for his own protection. Then he admitted that he had lied to police about the gun and sold it before he was arrested. Months after the incident, the group “Respect the Flag” was indicted as a street gang.

At the sentencing hearing, Hyesha Bryant, one of the partygoers, testified for the victims. She said, “I never thought this would be something I’d have to endure in 2017. As adults and parents, we have to instill in our children the values of right and wrong. That moment you had to choose to leave, you stayed.”^[4]

Torres was sentenced to serve 13 years in prison. Norton got six.

6 Clueless Cops Raid Child’s Birthday Party

In 2019, the police made a terrible mistake in Chicago. While executing a search warrant, officers from the Chicago Police Department burst in on a four-year-old child’s birthday party instead.

According to Stephanie Bures, the birthday boy’s mom, police officers knocked down the door to her basement apartment, pointed guns at her family, and tore up the place. Shaken, Bures said, “It’s terrifying. Can you imagine a four- or a seven-year-old sitting and playing games with other children, then come in and be confiscated by men with guns pointed at them? I can’t imagine that.”^[5]

Apparently, the police were looking for someone who had not lived in the building for a long while.

The family promptly filed a federal lawsuit. Their attorney, Al Hofeld Jr., painted a shocking picture of the awful incident when he said, “Instead of having his family sing happy birthday to him, four-year-old TJ had Chicago police officers curse and insult him and his family with f-words and cruel jokes.”

Chicago police released a statement saying that “[they make] every effort to ensure the validity and accuracy of all information that is used to apply for and execute search warrants, [but] errors occur and it does take them seriously.”

Reverend Michael Pfleger from a nearby church offered some advice to law enforcement: “Treat the children and the houses that you are going into the same way that you treat your house or your children or want them treated.”

Officers were not wearing body cameras during the botched raid.

Top 10 People Who Shot Themselves In The Head And Survived

5 Gun-Toting Masked Man Swoops In On Birthday Party

A lot of things have changed during the coronavirus pandemic. For example, the way in which people celebrate birthdays. With friends and family unable to visit one another due to social distancing or stay-at-home guidelines, the “drive-by”—mostly associated with shootings—has recently taken on a much sunnier meaning.

In March 2020, a family in Oregon was holding a “drive-by” birthday party for a child. Friends and family were driving by the family’s house yelling “happy birthday” from their car windows and honking in celebration. Clearly, this did not sit well with the family’s neighbor.

Angry at what was taking place next door, 45-year-old Gabreial Russell slipped on a gas mask, grabbed his realistic-looking BB gun, and crashed his neighbor’s very responsible “drive-by” children’s birthday party. No shots were fired, but Russell did get off a few threatening statements.^[6]

Soon, the police were called, and they arrested Russell without incident.

Court records later showed that Russell was no stranger to law enforcement officials. In 2015, he was convicted of three counts of felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 13 months in prison.

4 Boing-Boing Birthday Shooting

According to Roller—a leading entertainment and leisure software provider—trampoline parks first emerged in the early to mid-2000s. Today, there are over 1,500 trampoline parks worldwide. Approximately 77 percent of attendees are under age 18.

In February 2020, a family was holding a children’s birthday party at an Atlanta trampoline park called “Get Air.” All was well until two family members got into a heated argument in the parking lot. The squabble entered the crazy zone when one man retrieved a gun from his car and started shooting. Not only was the other man in the argument shot but a bystander was also hit. Thankfully, none of the reported injuries were life-threatening.

Lieutenant Jake Smith of the Gwinnett County Police Department set the scene: “The argument kind of spilled outside between these two men, and one of the subjects went to his car and retrieved a gun. He ultimately shot at the second subject who was a family member of his.”

When the smoke cleared, 33-year-old Gregory Durell Angrum was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault.^[7]

3 Quinceanera Interrupted By Gunfire

When a girl reached age 15 in pre-Hispanic times, she was considered a woman who was ready to begin her childbearing years. In modern times, a quinceanera is more symbolic and usually involves a big party that can get expensive fast.

It is also supposed to mark the first time a young woman puts on makeup. Along with a cross, rosary and scepter, the lucky girl is gifted a tiara and shoes specifically chosen for her special day. What is not usually included in a quinceanera is gunfire.

Tell that to the folks who attended a quinceanera on August 31, 2019, at the Metroplex Event Center in Rogers, Arkansas.^[8]

According to the shooter, 27-year-old Salvador Aldaco Jorge, it was all kind of a casual, everyday thing. Jorge told police that he and a friend were hanging out behind the bar when he casually mentioned that he had an “open carry.” His friend then urged Jorge to shoot by saying, “Okay, go for it.”

After talking a little longer, Jorge took out his gun and fired two shots in the air. A security guard quickly ran over and took the firearm out of Jorge’s hand. Police estimated the damage at $1,500.

Jorge was charged with a slew of crimes, including aggravated assault, committing a terroristic act, discharging a firearm within city limits, and first-degree criminal mischief.

2 Dropped Gun Goes Off At One-Year-Old’s Birthday Party

In 2018, 73 children under age 12 were killed as a result of gun mishaps in the US. That figure includes the tragic story of a two-year-old from Maryland who found a gun on a bed while the adults in the house were asleep. The boy picked it up and fatally shot himself.

In December 2017, family and friends had gathered at the Dolaj Catering Hall in Brooklyn to celebrate a child’s first birthday. All was well until one man took off his coat.

A gun fell from his pocket, hit the floor, and discharged. The bullet pierced the right leg of a 62-year-old woman. The man quickly picked up his weapon and fled.^[9]

The female victim was rushed to the hospital where she was later announced to be in stable condition. Thankfully, the one-year-old was not hit. We were unable to confirm if the shooter was eventually apprehended by police.

1 Wanted Man In Park Was Heading Toward A Child’s Birthday Party

In Austin, Texas, in summer 2019, someone called 911 to report that a man in Pease Park was carrying an assault rifle and a large knife. The caller also said that this man was heading toward “a party with lots of kids.”

A second caller was able to give police the license plate number of the man’s car. Quickly, police identified him as 23-year-old Dalton Broesche. He had an outstanding arrest warrant in another county.

Police raced to the scene and managed to find Broesche between a trail in the park and a roadway. They detained him on the warrant and handcuffed him for safety reasons. The outstanding warrant was for assaulting his girlfriend and threatening a neighbor with a knife.^[10]

When police searched Broesche, they found several weapons, including a loaded 9mm handgun, an expandable metal baton, and two knives. The first 911 caller had mentioned that the assault rifle was an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, which police found on a footpath near a main trail inside Pease Park. The rifle was already loaded with a 30-round magazine.

Austin resident and sometime Pease Park visitor Marie Fahlgren shared her thoughts about the incident: “It’s terrifying. I have no idea what his intentions would be at a park in a safe place like this in the middle of downtown in the middle of the day with children. I have no idea.”

Broesche was charged with deadly conduct and tampering with physical evidence.

10 Everyday Things That Double As Deadly Weapons

About The Author: Domenico De Luca has been writing for 30 years—screenplays, short stories, and songs making up the vast majority of his output. Dom also writes, produces, and stars in his own homemade comedy series, Dom & Dommer. He’s also a film buff with his very own blog called so many films, so little time.