Teen killed in violent social media-inspired game

A 19-year-old New Zealander who died aft suffering a superior caput wounded during a backstage "run-it-straight-style" crippled has been identified.

Multiple sources person confirmed nan teen was Ryan Satterthwaite, who worked astatine Mainfreight Transport successful Palmerston North.

Satterthwaite was critically injured playing a tackle crippled pinch friends successful Palmerston North connected Sunday, constabulary said.

Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham said nan teen suffered a superior caput wounded erstwhile tackled, and was taken to infirmary by his friends.

"Tragically, he passed distant successful infirmary connected Monday night."

Grantham said nan young man's decease was "an absolute calamity and my thoughts are pinch his family and friends".

"The tackle crippled played by nan group of friends was based connected a societal media-driven trend, wherever participants compete successful full-contact collisions without protective gear. While this was an impromptu crippled among friends, not a planned event, this tragic result does item nan inherent information concerns pinch specified an activity."

Grantham said constabulary urged anyone reasoning astir taking portion successful a crippled aliases arena for illustration this to "consider nan important information and wounded risks".

"While this is not a criminal matter, Police will proceed to undertake enquiries connected behalf of nan Coroner," he said.

A tribute from 1 of Satterthwaite's friend online said "fly precocious successful nan precocious eden my beautiful brother. Love you everlastingly and ever my boy. See you successful nan adjacent chapter".

Another friend said "rest successful paradise my boy. Love you truthful much".

Semi-official competitions person been organised to compete successful nan game, which is built astir actions seen successful rugby union, rugby league, nan NFL and AFL.

Opposing individuals – a shot runner and a tackler – guidelines astatine each extremity of a 20m x 4m field, and tally afloat velocity astatine each different pinch nan extremity of trying to vessel each different over.

This article has been reproduced pinch support from Stuff.co.nz.