A TikTok creator named Kamryn from Charlotte says a conversation that began with an Instagram follow ended with him being shot and paralyzed from the waist down. The video has drawn more than 2.9 million views, with viewers discussing whether the warning signs were obvious in hindsight while offering Kamryn support as he recounted the incident.
In the video posted to TikTok, Kamryn recounted the events that he says led to the shooting. He said the events began after a woman followed him on Instagram and the two began messaging throughout the day while he was at work.
He said the woman later asked if he could come see her after work. Although he admitted the request felt sudden, he agreed after returning home to shower. According to his account, the situation became increasingly unusual once he arrived at an apartment complex in Charlotte, where she allegedly refused to provide an apartment number, phone number, or live location.
He says the warning signs were there
He said the woman instead directed him around the apartment complex before telling him to park and come upstairs. After several unanswered calls and text messages, he said he realized that “I’m dumb as hell. I just fell for this setup.” As he walked back toward his vehicle, he claimed he noticed someone “dressed in all black” standing beside his car before the man allegedly turned around, pointed a gun at him, and demanded everything he had.
He claimed the man then ordered him to remove his clothes and “dance,” a demand he also rejected before attempting to get back into his car. Kamryn said the man then tried to strike him with the gun. After dodging the blow and pushing him away, he recalled asking, “Why you can’t just put the gun down and fight?”
Kamryn said he believed the confrontation was ending after telling the alleged gunman, “I swear to God, tonight not going how you wanted to.” Instead, he claimed the suspect opened fire. According to his account, “He shot five times. And he only hit me twice,” striking him in his back and right thigh before fleeing.
Lying on the ground, Kamryn said he realized no one appeared to have heard the gunfire. “Damn… ain’t nobody around,” he recalled thinking before briefly accepting what he believed might happen next. “I’mma just lay here and die.” Moments later, however, he said he forced himself to crawl toward his keys and eventually his phone so he could call 911.
He said the shooting left him paralyzed from the waist down. His TikTok video does not include police reports, medical records, or other evidence independently verifying the events he describes. Instead, it presents his firsthand account of what he says happened after agreeing to meet someone he had recently connected with on Instagram.
The video prompted discussion on TikTok, where many viewers focused less on the alleged shooting itself and more on the warning signs they believed appeared before the meeting ever took place, continuing a broader conversation around personal safety and encounters with strangers. Several commenters pointed to Kamryn’s own hesitation as the moment they felt the situation had already begun to unravel.
The most-liked response read, “That was ur intuition tryna tell u from the jump when you felt like it was too soon.” Another viewer echoed that sentiment, writing, “Tf signs was clear.”
Others concentrated on what may have happened after the incident. One commenter wrote, “Please tell me she in jail,” referring to the woman the man said invited him to the apartment complex. Another instead expressed support, commenting, “That’s definitely not OK and I’m happy that you’re safe! Thank you for sharing your story!”
Many of the responses also echoed familiar advice about meeting people for the first time through social media, reflecting conversations seen after other encounters involving strangers. Public safety organizations generally recommend meeting in public, telling someone where you’re going, arranging your own transportation, and leaving if something feels off.
By the end of the video, Kamryn thanked viewers for the support he had received. The footage does not independently verify the circumstances surrounding the alleged shooting. Instead, it documents his firsthand account of an encounter that he says left him paralyzed from the waist down.
