I don’t really care that much about tarantulas, but IIRC from some videos on tarantula-handling, tarantulas are big and heavy enough that unlike some smaller spiders which have a terminal velocity that isn’t going to hurt then – they can fall as far as they want – tarantulas can’t really handle being dropped very well. So throwing a tarantula probably is kind of a dick move from the tarantula’s standpoint.

kagis

https://spidersplanet.com/what-happens-if-you-drop-a-tarantula

Unfortunately, dropping a tarantula poses serious risks to the spider, with potential consequences influenced by factors such as fall height, landing surface, tarantula species, and the spider’s health and age.

The higher the fall, the greater the impact force, making even a small drop potentially fatal.

A solid landing surface, like concrete, increases the likelihood of severe injuries compared to softer surfaces.

Different tarantula species exhibit varying affecting levels and their ability to survive a fall. Young or molting tarantulas with soft exoskeletons are more vulnerable.

If a big tarantula falls, it can go really fast, and its belly might break open, causing internal damage and, in the worst case, death.

That is why heavier spiders usually stay on the ground, while lighter ones prefer living in trees to avoid serious injuries from falls.

Potential consequences of dropping a tarantula include:

Abdominal Rupture: The gravest consequence, often resulting in fatality. The tarantula’s soft abdomen houses its internal organs, and a rupture can lead to organ spillage and death.

Internal Injuries: Even without abdominal rupture, the tarantula may experience internal injuries, such as bleeding or organ damage due to the impact.

Broken Limbs: The fragile legs of a tarantula can easily break upon landing on a hard surface.

And that’s aside from what a (large, powerful) human who suddenly gets a large spider thrown at them is likely to do to the spider in instinctual self-defense.

Tarantulas aren’t native to Minnesota, so this was probably someone’s pet. I don’t have a lot of affection for large spiders, but to someone, that was probably kind of like a dog or cat.