Fox 8 has cell phone footage of bizarre prank
Fox 8 News has acquired some shaky cell phone video footage of the now-infamous attack on the Verizon Wireless gorilla mascot by a banana. Brian Genco, 16, who dresses as a gorilla three days a week in front of the Verizon store at 14150 Pearl Rd., told Fox 8 he wasn't hurt in the surprise attack, in which a teen dressed as a banana tackled him June 29. The unusual story has been picked up by local, regional and national news outlets, including the Washington Post. Genco said after he was tackled and the banana, accompanied by teenage friends, ran off, he got up and continued waving at passing cars. Verizon manager Brandon Parham called 911 afterward to report the incident. Police were unable to find the culprits in the area.
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14150 Pearl Rd, Strongsville, OH
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Incident makes Yahoo! home page; Associated Press looking into it
It's a great police blotter item -- someone dressed as a banana ran up and tackled a mascot dressed as a gorilla on Pearl Road June 29. But the story has now been picked up by local TV stations and is getting national attention. The story today made the Yahoo! home page. And the Associated Press called Strongsville police today about the incident, in which a guy in a banana costume knocked down a teen wearing a gorilla suit outside Verizon Wireless, 14150 Pearl Rd. The banana fled with a group of about four other kids. "It is kind of goofy," Strongsville Detective Lt. John Janowski acknowledged. "I've seen mascots get into it at college games, but I've never seen a banana tackle a gorilla." Verizon store manager Brandon Parham said he's …
