A TikTok stunt gone wrong has left 19-year-old influencer Noah Thomas facing multiple criminal charges after he allegedly jumped into an elephant enclosure at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium last month.
People is reporting that, according to Pittsburgh Police, the incident took place on September 21, when Thomas and an unidentified woman reportedly entered the zoo without tickets through a temporary exit gate.
Video posted to Thomas’ TikTok account shows him climbing over a barrier and approaching the elephants, which immediately reacted to his presence. At one point, one of the animals reached out with its trunk as Thomas backed away before hopping back over the barricade.
The clip, which spread across social media, was captioned with hashtags and later referenced in a now-deleted Instagram post where Thomas claimed he was “almost elephant food” and jokingly called himself a “professional gate jumper.”
Zoo staff were alerted to the stunt after visitors reported the encounter. Security later located Thomas and the woman in the aquarium section of the zoo before escorting them off the property.
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium released a statement following the incident, confirming, “This matter is now in the hands of the Pittsburgh Police and the Allegheny County District Attorney's office.”
Thomas is facing a long list of charges tied to the encounter. Court records show he has been charged with third-degree felonies, including criminal trespass, conspiracy, and causing or risking catastrophe. He also faces second-degree misdemeanor charges for recklessly endangering another person, cruelty to animals, and theft of services.
Despite the seriousness of the case, Thomas has not yet turned himself in as of Oct. 18, according to authorities. Police confirmed the charges remain active, and the investigation is ongoing.
It remains unclear, however, whether Thomas is working with the District Attorney's office to reduce the charges.