A Houston teenager is accused of shooting dead a fellow teen as part of a weapons-drawing prank that has been spreading on social media, authorities said Thursday.
Mohamad Nour Alajil, 18, has been charged with manslaughter in connection to the Dec. 11 slaying of Christian Johnson, 19, officials said.
Police believe Johnson's death resulted from the "No Lackin'" challenge, which calls for one person to pull a weapon on another on video to record the reaction, KPRC reported. The challenge stems from the notion that no one should ever be caught without, or "lacking," a gun.
Johnson had an AR-15 rifle pointed at Alajil, while Alajil had a semi-automatic pistol aimed at the victim, a prosecutor said during a hearing Thursday.
"The complainant and the defendant were in the bedroom playing what is called the 'No Lackin'' challenge," the prosecutor said. “When the defendant stretched his arm out to the point [the gun was] at the complainant’s head, the trigger was pulled, the pistol went off, striking the complainant, killing him."
The suspect originally told police that he and the victim were arguing and that he shot Johnson in self-defense, the prosecutor said. But Alajil later admitted to the "No Lackin'" game after learning what witnesses told police, authorities said.
Alajil's defense lawyer said this was not an "intentional act."
“Even if the facts are to be believed as is … this is a terrible and unfortunate situation. It is not the first of its kind that particular game has caused similar outcomes across the country," the defense lawyer said.
"And I would say it’s a little bit different than an outright intentional act, even if the court takes that at face value.”
Alajil was out on bond on an armed robbery charge when Johnson was killed, prosecutors said. The prosecutor asked for $100,000 bail and the defense called for $30,000 — before the judge set it at $250,000.
