It is a case of mistaken identity that has sullied the company name: A local electrician, his family and business have become collateral damage in the war of words over the life and assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Many in the TikTok community were outraged after viewing a video posted by political-content creator Megan Farina. To them, she appears to be making fun of the Kirk assassination.
Farina’s boyfriend owns and operates an electrical company in Oceanside with a name similar to a business owned by an Escondido electrician.
The commentary following Kirk’s assassination last week has often become bitter, especially on social media.
“I was getting up to four calls per minute,” electrician Jason Lucero said. “The calling was just non-stop.”
Lucero mistakenly became the target of a campaign to crush his business, and he and his fiancée were threatened with violence after Megan Farina posted a video on TikTok.
Farina has since taken down the post.
Lucero didn’t even know who she was before this. His business, Evolution Electric and Solar, in Escondido has a name very similar to that of Farina’s boyfriend’s business, Evolution Electrical, which is in Oceanside.
The video was definitely not in line with Lucero’s opinions.
“Yeah, I think it is horrible,“ Lucero said.
In a matter of days, Lucero has received more than 5,000 complaint posts on Yelp and Google Business. He received so many calls and texts, he had to turn off his phone.
“Somebody said they are going to hire me for a job and then, before I knew it — boom, pop! — and I’m gone,” Lucero said. “Someone said they are going to torch my … I don’t know if they said torch my home or burn my business.”
On Friday morning, Lucero spent an hour and a half working on his work truck with a heat gun, trying to peel off the logo he created with the company name and phone number. He’s afraid that, if someone sees it, they may vandalize it, puncture a tire — or worse.
NBC 7 reached out to Farina at her Oceanside home Thursday, but she was not there. Since then she has agreed to an interview.
On Friday, she posted a statement on TikTok.
“We have been traumatized and stripped of our privacy, all because I said Charlie Kirk, who did not believe in empathy himself, did not have mine,” Farina said.
Farina said she and her boyfriend, as well as his business, are also receiving threats.
“Sent me hate mail and left notes on my boyfriend’s office,” Farina said. “My own neighbor has offered to share my whereabouts with the internet.”
Lucero has lost a week’s work trying to restore his good name. He returns the hate calls and texts one by one. On his Yelp page, there is an alert indicating his business was targeted.
“Before they do something like that, [Farina and her boyfriend] should stop and think, ‘Is this a smart thing to do?’ ” Lucero said. “It’s unfortunate. She’s an adult. She should think more responsibly. “
Lucero said there is a third electrical company with a similar company name, in Sacramento, that is also affected by the mistaken identity.
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