Man featured in viral video smashed much more than beer cans at Topeka Walmart: Affidavit

A video of a man smashing beer cans in April at a Topeka Walmart has drawn more than 43 million page views on social media amid suggestions he was responding angrily to Bud Light's advertising partnership with a transgender influencer.

But that man, J. Dustin David Cain, damaged many items other than Bud Light cans, says a charging affidavit The Topeka Capital-Journal acquired last week.

In terms of beer, Cain threw to the floor containers of Budweiser, Bud Light, Busch Light, Coors Light and Keystone Light, the affidavit said.

It said he also threw down containers of ketchup, cookies, croutons, mayonnaise, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Monster Energy Drink, La Croix Sparkling Water and an unspecified type of orange drink.

Police found items scattered on the floor all the way from the front to the back of the store, the affidavit said. Damages were estimated at $2,000.

Defendant is on mental health-related medication

The affidavit shed no light as to why Cain allegedly did what he did, after Topeka police said in April that they didn't know what his motives may have been.

Cain is on mental health medication, his attorney, Jonathon Noble, said Wednesday at a Shawnee County District Court hearing regarding two cases in which he pleaded guilty to criminal damage prior to his April 18 arrest.

Cain had just received a mental health medication shot that will be "good for three weeks," Noble said.

He said he has been trying to have Cain placed in a mental health nursing home and seemed to be making progress — until the video taken at the Walmart went viral.

Document says witness saw defendant 'pee on the floor'

The affidavit quoted a male Walmart customer as saying he also saw Cain expose himself to a woman inside the store and "pee on the floor."

The woman apparently didn't talk to police at the scene. The affidavit quoted the male customer as saying he thought she left the store.

Cain faces charges in the case of one count each of criminal damage to property, assault, battery and lewd and lascivious behavior involving exposing sex organs to someone under age 16.

J. Dustin David Cain has 30 criminal convictions

Cain, 44, of Topeka, is homeless, Shawnee County District Court records say.

They say he has 30 criminal convictions in the past 23 years in Topeka Municipal Court and in district court in Shawnee, Chase, Lyon and Wabaunsee counties, mostly for misdemeanors.

Court records say 10 convictions were for criminal damage to property, five for burglary, four for theft, two each for battery and theft of motor fuel and one each for aggravated assault, arson, criminal trespassing, failure to pay for motor fuel, battery to a law enforcement officer, lurking or prowling with intent to commit a crime and unlawful interference with an emergency medical services provider engaged in his or her duties.

Cain served prison time for burglary and theft from 2017 to 2018 and in 2021, Kansas Department of Corrections records show. 

Activist suggests defendant destroyed 'the wrong beer'

Cain was most recently arrested after a disturbance that was caught on video inside the Walmart at 1501 S.W. Wanamaker Road.

The video received at least 8.2 million views after being posted by a TikTok user with the username chandlerdavidson24.

The video was then shared on Twitter by self-described trans activist and social media influencer EuphoriTori, who suggested that Cain — by throwing down cans of Busch Light — "destroyed the wrong beer."

The tweet has 34.9 million page views. It makes reference to a controversy that began when the makers of Bud Light partnered earlier this year with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Mulvaney used her social media platforms to promote a sweepstakes contest for the company. Bud Light also created a commemorative can with her face on it.

Some conservatives responded by calling for a boycott of Bud Light.

Affidavit: Thrown cans hit night manager in head, chest

The Capital-Journal on Wednesday acquired the charging affidavit linked to Cain's April 18 arrest after Shawnee County District Magistrate Christopher J. Turner ordered it opened for examination

The newspaper last month had filed a Kansas Open Records Act request seeking the affidavit.

Turner arranged for some of the affidavit to be redacted, including personal information about victims and witnesses.

The affidavit included a statement from a Topeka police officer identified only as "S. Hughes," who said he was dispatched at 9:26 p.m. April 18 to the store.

He said the store's night manager told him Cain threw cases of beer on the floor, then threw two cans of Bud Light at that manager, striking him in the forehead and chest.

A woman who had been in the store said Cain threw a Budweiser can at her but missed, Hughes said.

July 13 sentencing hearing set in two other cases against Cain

Cain was arrested at the scene. He was being held Thursday in the Shawnee County Jail on a $5,000 bond, jail records said.

Shawnee County District Court Judge Cheryl Rios on Wednesday denied a request by Cain asking that she reduce his bond.

She scheduled sentencing to take place at 4 p.m. July 13 in the two other Shawnee County cases in which Cain pleaded guilty earlier this year to criminal damage to property.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: New details shared about beer can smashing incident at Topeka Walmart