Warnings over viral "RUNIT" sports trend after 19-year-old dies of head injury
CBSN
Wellington, New Zealand — A 19-year-old New Zealand man has died after taking part in a new tackling game that's trending on social media in which competitors run at each other and collide while wearing no protective equipment. Police confirmed Ryan Satterthwaite suffered a head injury on Sunday while playing a backyard game with friends in the North Island city of Palmerston North. He died on Monday as a result of his injuries.
Area police commander Inspector Ross Grantham described Satterthwaite's death as "a huge tragedy" and urged others to "consider the significant safety and injury risks" of the game that is known as RUNIT or RUNIT Straight.
"A young man lost his life as a result of participating in what I understand to be a social media frenzy," Grantham said. "While this is not a criminal matter, police will continue to undertake inquiries on behalf of the coroner."
