The “Run It Straight” challenge, a high-impact collision game that has lately gone popular on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, is a deadly social media fad that has tragically claimed the life of a 19-year-old kid from New Zealand. During a backyard game with friends in the North Island city of Palmerston North on Sunday, Ryan Satterthwaite, a former student of Palmerston North Boys’ High School, sustained a fatal head injury. He passed away on Monday from his wounds in spite of medical assistance.

Two players, with no protective gear, sprint at full speed at one another and collide during the game. Many people have shared it on social media, and some of the videos have received tens of millions of views. The challenge, which mostly appeals to young males, is often marketed as a test of strength and manhood.

“A young boy lost his life as a result of participating in what I understand to be a social media frenzy,” said Inspector Ross Grantham, the local police commander. Police are supporting the coroner’s probe and encouraging youth to reevaluate the safety hazards of taking part in such challenges, even if there isn’t a criminal investigation ongoing.

Police and School Reaction
Palmerston North Boys’ High School rector David Bovey said that before to knowing of Satterthwaite’s death, he had planned to caution pupils about the game’s rising popularity. The tragedy is now causing the school community to reel.

“This tragic outcome highlights the inherent safety concerns with such an activity,” Grantham said, stressing that there are significant risks associated with even unplanned or casual games.

Run It Challenge: What Is It?
In this well-known social media challenge, competitors run straight at each other at full speed without any safety gear in an effort to knock them down.

The tragedy comes after a recent “Run It Straight” championship tournament in Auckland. With eight guys vying for USD 20,000 in prize money, the event attracted more than 1,000 spectators. Next month, the champions will advance to a final match with a USD 250,000 grand prize.

However, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reports that even in this controlled environment, there were severe injuries, including two retirements from head trauma and one competitor having a seizure.

Marketed as “the world’s fiercest new collision sport,” the game honors “strength and grit,” according to its marketers, RUNIT. However, officials and experts alike are urging more care, regulation, and awareness in light of the increasing number of injuries and, more recently, a death.