13-year-old was fatally shot while possibly making TikTok video in car, police say

Authorities in Arizona said a 13-year-old boy was fatally shot while he was possibly making a TikTok video in a car. According to PEOPLE, Khalil Robinson was in a parked car with two other minors on April 4 when he was fatally struck. 

The Sierra Vista Police Department said the gun went off while the three boys were making the video. “It was possible they were making a TikTok video,” the department’s public information officer, Scott Borgstadt, said, adding that they “haven’t been able to confirm it yet.”

Robinson was taken to a hospital in the wake of the shooting, but he succumbed to his injuries the following day. Borgstadt also said one of the three juveniles was behind the shooting – though it is not known if it was unintentional. 

In 2021, a 12-year-old Colorado boy died after partaking in a TikTok challenge that dared participants to choke themselves until they lost consciousness. According to ABC News, the deceased, identified as Joshua Haileyesus, died after he was medically intubated and placed on life support.

His family told the news outlet Joshua probably choked himself with a shoelace in an attempt to partake in the challenge and ascertain how long he could hold his breath. The family said they shared their tragic story with the hopes of spreading awareness about such deadly and dangerous games on social media. They said they also want to prevent other parents from experiencing the pain they’re currently going through.