Buffalo car crash killing four teenagers may be linked to TikTok challenge
Buffalo, New York — A car crash that killed four teenagers may be linked to the TikTok challenge, the police chief said.
Buffalo Police said there were a total of six teenagers in the Kia car that crashed around 6:30 a.m. Monday. The car was reported to have been stolen on Sunday night.
All five passengers were thrown out of the vehicle, police said. From the age of 14 he died 4 of him until the age of 17. A fifth passenger was admitted to intensive care, and the 16-year-old driver was treated in hospital and released.
The driver was ticketed for possession of stolen property and misuse of a motor vehicle. The Erie County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the crash and plans to file additional charges, spokesperson Kate Munro said.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told reporters on Monday that the teenagers may have been participating in a TikTok challenge encouraging them to break into Kia cars using cell phone chargers. .
First posted in the summer, the so-called Kia Challenge shows how to hotwire Kia and Hyundai cars using a USB cord and screwdriver. Many police departments across the country are reporting an increase in thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles since the video was posted.
In a class action lawsuit filed in September in Orange County, California, Kia vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2021 and Hyundai vehicles manufactured between 2015 and 2021 lacked an anti-theft component called an engine immobilizer. , which is claimed to be more susceptible to theft than other models. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and a nationwide recall from the automaker.
Representatives for Kia and Hyundai did not respond to emails seeking comment.
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