Arlington police said Wednesday no criminal charges will be filed after a viral game for high school students left a 17-year-old critically injured last month.
According to police, the incident occurred on April 21 in a residential neighborhood in the 6500 block of Devine Drive.
The teen, Isaac Leal, was riding through the neighborhood on the back of a Jeep Wrangler when, shortly after the Jeep turned onto Setter Drive, he fell off. Police said Leal was participating in a tag-style game called “senior assassin,” where students try to “eliminate” their peers by squirting them with a water gun.
After Leal fell, police said the driver of the Jeep stopped and 911 was called. Medical personnel responded, and Leal was taken to a hospital.
Arlington police were then notified on May 3 after a report was filed by Leal’s family, and the department’s traffic division launched an investigation to determine if a criminal offense occurred.
Police officials said through their investigation — and in consultation with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office — they found no evidence to that the driver of the Jeep was driving recklessly or intentionally tried to cause Leal to fall off the vehicle.
“This was a tragic accident and our hearts go out to everyone involved,” a police spokesperson said in a statement. “We encourage parents to talk to their kids about viral trends/challenges and to have frank conversations with them about the risks they can present.”
A GoFundMe for Leal’s medical expenses can be accessed here.