Friend Shoots Teen In Head During Internet Challenge, Police Say

MEMPHIS, TN — A teenager in Memphis was shot in the head at a restaurant as part of a "downright dumb" internet challenge, police say. Sherman Lackland, 21, of Memphis, pulled out a black .40 caliber handgun and accidentally shot the 17-year-old inside E's 24 Hour Cafe, police said. And the shooting stemmed from a game known simply as the "No Lackin' Challenge," police said.

In the game, participants get into fake arguments and pull guns on each other, police said in an affidavit obtained by Patch.

Videos posted on YouTube of the internet game show young people pulling guns on each other in various public places, including at bus stops, while sitting at traffic lights and walking in public parks.

When Lackland allegedly pulled the gun on Thursday, the teen was hit in the right side of his head, police said. The bullet didn't penetrate his skull. The boy was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and later downgraded to extremely critical condition, police said.

Lackland later acknowledged to police he fired the gun accidentally. A witness corroborated his story.

Police said Lackland didn't have a permit to carry the gun. He faces charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a handgun. He was jailed on $25,000 bond and a hearing is scheduled for Friday.

Louis Brownlee of the Memphis Police Department tells Patch he believes this was the first such incident his department has seen.

"What's crazy is that I saw it on YouTube last Fall," he says. "Someone shared it with our department. And we just shook our heads, like man, that's just downright dumb. Luckily, there had not been any incidents involving it here locally until this one."

Police do not have video of this shooting.

"It's just guys being foolish," Brownlee says. "Our police director is known for saying hey let's not get ourselves hurt or killed trying to get internet famous doing something for likes on Facebook or things like that."

Ron Eanes, area manager at the restaurant, told WREG-TV the kids were sitting and chatting when the duo showed guns to each other.

"They were sitting there talking, and they started showing each other a gun and it accidentally went off," said.

"Such stupidity. Anybody could get hurt," Eanes added.

Brownlee says young people thinking of participating in the game should do something good in the neighborhood instead.

"Don't participate in things like this," he says. "This challenge, the Tide Pod Challenge. You want to do a challenge? Do something positive."

He suggests mentoring children or volunteering at a nursing home.

"Don't engage in things like this. It could be deadly," he says.

Photo credit: Memphis Police Department