As the Tik Tok platform grows, more teens are jumping on it to get their challenges and “cool” videos in.
However, it’s getting dangerous in some cases.
The New York Post reported that a 15-year-old girl in Mexico, Yazmin Esmeralda, accidentally shot and killed herself with a submachine gun. Esmeralda was filming a Tik Tok video with her brother. It’s unclear why she needed the weapon for the video; the outlet reports experts involved believe she was inspired to pick up the gun due to the country’s drug culture.
It’s also not clear where Esmeralda was struck or why the weapon was in her home. However, State prosecutor Quiñonez Estrada, told Vice, the gun in question is no longer used by the Mexican army, because of its complicated safety features and tendency to go off haphazardly. Estrada believes Esmeralda’s family failed to protect her by having the weapon in the home. She said,
“The fact that there were weapons in the house, that weren’t controlled, is the responsibility of the adults who knew there were children in the house.”
https://twitter.com/trendingfilm/status/1497487776421457922?s=21
Yazmín Esmeralda, who was 15 years old, thought it would look cool if she made a video for TikTok posing with an Uzi. It was the last video she ever made. https://t.co/zcZmExJwKC
— Deborah Bonello (@mexicoreporter) February 24, 2022
In 2021, the “blackout challenge” became popular on Tik Tok. Users would “simply” hold their breath for as long as possible. However, young children whose lungs haven’t fully developed ended up passing away. NYP points out five children died from that one challenge.