18-year-old accused of killing friend in 'No Lackin Challenge' shooting
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An 18-year-old is now facing charges for allegedly shooting his friend in the head, killing him as they played the 'No Lackin Challenge.'
Christian Johnson, 19, was killed in December at his home in the 6300 block of Ivy Knoll.
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After a police investigation into Johnson's shooting, Mohamad Alajil was charged with second degree manslaughter.
According to prosecutors, Johnson and Alajil were in Johnson's bedroom playing the 'No Lackin Challenge.' The two were reportedly pointing loaded weapons at each other.
When Alajil stretched out his arm and pointed the pistol at Johnson's head, the trigger was pulled, and the gun went off, striking him in the head, authorities allege.
Johnson's family, however, disputes the social media challenge motive.
"I think he should be charged with first degree murder," said the victim's sister Shyra Estes-Johnson. "He planned to come into my house and kill and rob my brother."
"We don't point guns at each other. I never had a gun pointed at me. We don't do that," said Dominique Williams, a friend of Johnson's since elementary school.
Alajil reportedly dropped the gun and ran out of the house. Johnson's two brothers tried to stop him. Another witness called police later and gave a statement describing what had happened.
Alajil allegedly made no attempt to call police. When they interviewed him on Wednesday, he initially told investigators he and Johnson had been fighting and he shot the teen in self-defense. Later Alajil changed his statement, and told officers about the 'No Lackin Challenge.'
"Of course my family is very, very pleased that they caught him. But we're not pleased with the charges they made against him," said Estes-Johnson. "We feel like it wasn't a game, it wasn't an accident. We felt like it's straight murder, robbery."
Alajil, from Syria, is not a US citizen, according to court proceedings. A judge set his bond at $250,000.
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