10 May 2023 , 19:00
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A deadly car crash which killed a 16-year-old boy and a young man has been linked to a possible TikTok challenge.
Jess Bradford, Jr., 21, and Michael Wyrick, 16, were killed in a high-speed car chase in California, US, on Monday after their stolen Hyundai collided with a fence and a tree at Peterson Park in Lodi, according to police.
Cops are looking into the possibility the two died while taking part in a social media challenge that shows how easy it is to steal certain models of Kia and Hyundai cars.
The stolen Hyundai hit the tree so hard the roof ripped off leaving debris across the scene.
A tribute left at the scene (CBS13)Police believe the suspects were part of a group that stole two vehicles and led officers on a high speed car chase.
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Officers say they had called the chase off before the deadly collision.
The other vehicle, a Kia, is still missing.
The owner told CBS: "Like all my stuff, I'm just like...I have no idea where it is. It's crazy."
The viral video, which investigators think may have inspired the suspects, shows how to use a USB drive to start the cars instead of a key.
A witness stands by his damaged car (CBS13)Witness Gannon Shumer said his parked car was damaged by one of the stolen cars during the police chase.
He said: "I'm still kind of mind blown by how it even happened and how this happened, how he got all the way out there.
"It's just crazy."
The family of the two victims killed visited the crash site and identified them as 21-year-old Jess Bradford, Jr., and 16-year-old Michael Wyrick.
The same trend has been linked to another horrific crash which killed four people in October last year.
Six teenagers, aged between 14 to 19, were travelling in a stolen Kia in Buffalo, New York state, when their car crashed at around 6.30am.
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The car, which was being driven by a 16-year-old who has not yet been identified, was reported stolen the night before the crash.
Four of the passengers were tragically killed as the driver was rushed to hospital and released later that day.
However, the only surviving passenger remains in intensive care after suffering life-threatening injuries.
The victims have been named as Marcus Webster, 19; Swazine Swindle, 17; Kevin Payne, 16; and Ahjanae Harper, 14.
Buffalo Police commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said in a statement: “It’s a horrific morning for the families, their friends, our police officers and our investigators and fire department that were there investigating this.
“This is a terrible, terrible outcome for such young kids that had their entire lives in front of them.”
The inspiration behind stealing the car appears to have come from a disturbing new TikTok challenge which encourages youngsters to break into Hyundai and Kia cars with their phone charges, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said during a press conference.
Mirror Online has approached TikTok for comment regarding the challenge.