- A woman is facing charges after golfing into the Grand Canyon, the park said in a Facebook post.
- It comes after a video showing the incident circulated online.
A woman is facing charges for hitting a golf ball and a golf club into the Grand Canyon, according to a statement from the park.
On October 27, the Grand Canyon National Park's Facebook page posted a screenshot showing a woman at the edge of the canyon's South Rim, near Mather Point, with the golf club in the air.
"Do we really need to say, 'don't hit golf balls into the Grand Canyon?'" the caption read, adding that "throwing objects over the rim of the canyon is not only illegal but can also endanger hikers and wildlife who may be below."
The statement said that with the help of members of the public, Grand Canyon Law Enforcement had "identified, located, and contacted the individual responsible for the incident."
Joelle Baird, a public affairs specialist for the Grand Canyon National Parks Service, told Insider that three Class B misdemeanour charges had been filed for "creating hazardous conditions, littering, throwing the objects themselves."
Baird said each charge could merit a fine of up to $1,000 but that it is "unlikely she will be facing jail time." The case will be heard at the US Magistrates court in Flagstaff, Arizona, although a date has not yet been set for a court appearance.
The Facebook post did not identify the individual, but social media users commented underneath the post to say that the person in the photo was Katie Sigmond, who has over 7 million followers on TikTok. Sigmond did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
The GCLE post was shared 116 times and received 183 comments, the majority of which condemned the woman's actions and argued that she should face severe consequences for her actions. Some suggested she should be forced to find the golf ball and club herself.
Others shared their experiences of hiking in the Grand Canyon and seeing objects flying near them that were thrown by people on higher ground. One person called it the "scariest Canyon experience."
A screen recording of a video showing a woman hitting a golf ball against the rim of the canyon was posted to Reddit on October 26. In the video, the person's golf club snaps in two and flies out over the edge, with the person laughing and appearing shocked by what happened.
Redditors' commented underneath the post to say that the person's behavior was "appalling" and that she clearly has "no respect." Some suggested she be banned from the parks system.
Littering is prohibited at the Grand Canyon and other national parks, and violators can face hefty fines or even imprisonment. According to the National Parks Service, throwing things over the edge can "injure hikers and wildlife" as well as start landslides.
This is not the first time someone has faced charges for littering in a national park. In 2021, comedian Jake Adams also faced charges for hitting a golf ball in Yellowstone National Park and has since apologized for his actions, according to CBS News.
For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.