Teen shot in parking lot left paralyzed after 'senior assassin' prank

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 3 minutes read

A social media trend has had serious consequences for a young man who was allegedly shot and killed by another teen's father in Kansas last month.

Anakin Zehring, 18, was shot in the back in a Walmart parking lot after participating in the “senior assassin” campaign on May 11, according to an affidavit filed in Sedgwick County Court obtained Wednesday by USA TODAY. The bullet left Zehring paralyzed from the waist down and he has since undergone four surgeries, according to a GoFundMe page for his family.

Ruben Marcus Contreras, a man in his 40s and father of a 17-year-old girl at the scene, was arrested and charged with attempted murder in the shooting, which occurred in the Wichita suburb of Goddard.

In the game — in which high school students use water guns to eliminate each other — Zehring was driving with two teenage friends, one of whom shouted, “I'm your senior assassin” and fired a gel gun on Contreras' daughter. , according to the affidavit.

Contreras' daughter was with her boyfriend at the time. The boyfriend later told authorities that neither of them knew who the teens were and that when confronted, one of the boys swore at him and yelled profanities, the affidavit states. The boyfriend then called Contreras, telling him that his daughter had been shot with a gel gun and that the teens said they were “trying to beat him up.”

Contreras allegedly shot through rear car window

Contreras quickly arrived on scene and walked toward the car “angrily,” a Walmart employee told police, according to the affidavit.

Contreras is accused of then pulling a gun from his waistband and firing a bullet through the rear window of the teens' car, hitting Zehring in the back, one of the boys inside told police. the car. Zehring said he then lost all feeling in his legs and crashed into a pole in the parking lot “because he didn't want to hit anyone.”

When a passerby asked what happened, Contreras said “they shot my daughter” several times, according to the affidavit.

The bystander then removed his shirt to stop the bleeding from Zehring's wound. Authorities found Zehring screaming in pain and saying he had lost movement in his legs.

Contreras' attorney did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment Wednesday.

Mother says her teenager's life took a 'dramatic turn'

Zehring's mother, Kenly Zehring, said her son faces a long, difficult road to recovery that requires extensive physical therapy, occupational therapy and skilled nursing care, according to the GoFundMe page. In an update posted Wednesday, she said the doctor told her “everything is fine.”

“My son is a vibrant young man with a bright future. However, his life took a dramatic turn on that fateful day,” Kenly Zehring wrote. “Since the incident, he has endured unimaginable suffering and hardship, but his spirit remains intact.”

His father, Jeremy Zehring, said his son is “paying the ultimate price” and doesn't know if he will be able to work in their family electrical business, according to HuffPost. He said no parent should have to endure the “devastating situation” they are going through.

“I know he wishes he could have changed things,” Jeremy Zehring told the outlet.

What is a “senior assassin”?

Police, educators and state officials have warned against the “high-ranking assassin” trend on social media, arguing that it is dangerous and that someone could easily mistake a toy gun for a real.

High school students usually use water guns, paintball or airsoft for the game, and the videos are uploaded to social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

Lina Portman

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