SAN JOSE, Calif. – A viral challenge on TikTok is drawing the attention of local authorities after a 15-year-old girl ended up hospitalized in intensive care following a random pellet gun attack.
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Gianna Vitarelli was leaving the Westfield Valley Fair shopping center last Friday with a friend when she felt shot in the back. The attack occurred in broad daylight and the minor ended up with a broken rib and a punctured lung.
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In another similar attack, 9-year-old Marisol Elena Lara was injured near Westgate Mall. The pellet that was shot at her penetrated her lower back and she also had to be hospitalized.
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Although at the moment the San José Police have not reported possible suspects or the motive for the attacks, law enforcement agencies in the Bay Area have alerted parents to the risks of a new viral challenge on TikTok.
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TikTok viral challenge alert
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The Alameda Police Department said it responded to an incident last weekend in which a group of teenagers may have been participating in the so-called ‘Orbeez/Splatter Ball Challenge,’ which involves shooting gel pellets from splatter guns. random air against people on the street.
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In the incident, the authorities said, the people hit by the pellets were not seriously injured, “but the incident is of great concern”, since sometimes the toy weapons are modified to appear real.
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They added that other law enforcement agencies have seen reports of pellets striking victims in the eyes, causing more severe injuries.
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“We are asking parents to have genuine conversations with their children about the risks and possible consequences of participating in viral online challenges similar to this one,” Alameda Police said in a statement.
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Victims recover from pellet shots
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Robert Lara, father of Marisol, said that his daughter is recovering from the wound caused by the pellet, because after penetrating her lower back it has lodged near her pelvic bone.
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“We are praying for a speedy recovery and that the perpetrators are brought to justice. As a parent and a San Jose resident I feel it is our duty as a community to keep our families safe,” he noted.
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For her part, Gianna Vitarelli had to be hospitalized after the attack she suffered because her lung had collapsed. In an interview with Noticias Univision 14, the minor said that she began to feel intense chest pain and breathing difficulties.
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The pellet that was shot at him was a centimeter from his heart and the doctors have decided to leave it there, since removing it would represent a very high risk to his life.
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The San José Police confirmed that there are at least three open investigations into attacks with pellet guns. In Gianna’s case, he said the shot was fired from a black car that then fled.
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