Buffalo Teens Killed in Car Crash Connected to TikTok Trend

The Kia Challenge is a concerning societal media trend that sees participant essay to pirate the namesake car using a USB cablegram . The highly strung challenge has turned tragic as the aftermath of an apparent attempt in Buffalo result four stripling dead .

societal media challenges are typically unobjectionable endeavour at jumping on the hype train of whatever meme or phenomenon the internet collectively decides to be obsessed with . The stakes are comparatively low in something like the now cringeworthy Mannequin Challenge from 2016 , but sometimes the quest to join in on the fun can turn sour .

The Kia Challenge is / was a social mass medium trend on the video - sharing app TikTok that instructed player on how to slip a Kia using nothing more than a USB cable or sound charger . What could go wrong ? Well , a car collapse in upstate New York left four teenagers dead and one hospitalized may be tied to the viral trend .

The Kia Sportage has been identified as the model most participants try to steal.

The Kia Sportage has been identified as the model most participants try to steal.Image: Mateusz Rostek (Shutterstock)

According to reporting fromInsider , six teens in Buffalo seem to have tried their hands at the Kia Challenge , where substance abuser are advance to highjack new Kia models with a USB cable to start the firing . The group of teens got into a gondola accident on Route 33 in Buffalo on October 24 that led to four deaths , one hospitalization , and one relatively underage injury . Buffalo Police commissioner Joseph Gramaglia saidin a mass medium briefingon Monday that he believes the incident is connect to the Kia Challenge .

“ While no railway car can be made completely theft - test copy , criminals are direct vehicles equipped with a steel tonality and ‘ turn - to - take up ’ ignition system as opposed to those equipped with a key watch pocket and ‘ push - release - to - start . system , ” James Bell , read/write head of corporate communications for Kia , told Gizmodo in an email . “ Kia America continues to work out closely with local law of nature enforcement in involve arena to bring home the bacon steering wheel lock devices at no toll to implicated proprietor of steel winder operate Kia vehicles not originally equipped with an immobilizer . ”

A quick lookup on TikTok display that the Kia Challenge appears to have give a summit in popularity on the app in July and August of this year , andThe Washington Postreports that the Kia Sportage is the model most Kia Challenge participants target . Videos on TikTok explicate that both Kias and Hyundais have been the guinea pig of the challenge .

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