An 18-year-old New York City teen was fatally shot by an off-duty editing officer on Thursday, and police say he may have participated in a TikTok challenge involving a gun toy.
Authorities responded to a call from a man shot in the face in the Bronx just after 1:30 a.m., where they found Raymond Chaluisant’s body, according to reports. NBC New York. The teen was found half a mile from where police believe he was shot.
Chaluisant was taken to nearby Saint Barnabas hospital, where he is presumed dead.
Teenager had Orbeez toy water gun in car at time of fatal shooting
Police say Dion Middleton, 45, a corrections officer, is believed to have shot the teen, with law enforcement sources suggesting that the Orbeez toy gun Chaluisant had in his car was a possible reason. behind the fatal shooting.
A corrections officer in NYC has been arrested after killing an 18-year-old who was carrying a toy gun in his friend’s car during a water gun brawl. Dion Middleton was charged with murder, manslaughter and weapons possession.
RIP Raymond Chaluisant pic.twitter.com/OucwjNCKyo
– Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) July 22, 2022
Orbeez, which shoots water-filled beads and is usually intended for children, has become popular among teenagers thanks to a viral TikTok challenge, where participants are encouraged to shoot people.
Videos of the “Orbeez Challenge” show teenagers shooting toy water guns at unsuspecting targets.
However, there is currently no evidence that Chaluisant fired a toy gun at Middleton, who was carrying a real gun at the time of the fatal shooting.
Shooter charged with murder, manslaughter and firearms crime
Middleton has since been charged with murder, manslaughter and weapons possession.
The day after Chuluisant’s death, the NYPD tweeted a warning regarding Orbeez explosives while saying they were essentially rifles and were actually illegal in New York state. The ministry added that the weapons would be confiscated if discovered by law enforcement.
“Rifles are an offense in NYC and illegal to possess,” the tweet read. “Violators found in possession of these will be subject to criminal summons and weapons will be confiscated.”
Orbeez challenge goes viral on TikTok, encouraging teens to shoot strangers
The challenge of attracting millions of views on TikTok is not as naive as one might think. Police said some teenagers froze the ice cubes, making them much more painful and traumatic.
The NYDN article states that the young man had an Orbeez toy. For context, here’s what it might look like. pic.twitter.com/UcMqz2JFUy
– Michael Anatole (@manatole) July 21, 2022
The Daily Beast found that many challenging cases left people with puncture wounds, severe eye injuries and costly property damage.
In March, the newspaper reported that dozens of teenagers had been arrested as part of the trend, which authorities say is nationwide. Teens in Michigan, Utah, New York, Pennsylvania and more got into legal trouble when they entered the challenge.
In one incident, a 19-year-old man accidentally shot an Amazon driver in the glass and neck as he steered his truck down a suburban street. And in another case, an adult and a child in a stroller were shot by an Orbeez toy gun on the same day.
Several other cases have caused a stir across the country in recent months.
