TikToker shoots father dead over smart phone in K-P

Police say boy also critically injured his mother

TIMARGARA:

A 17-year-old boy shot dead his father over refusal to return his smart phone in the Dir Lower district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Saturday.

The police told The Express Tribune that the boy spent most of his time on TikTok and his friend and was not taking any interest in his studies on which his father, Sherbaz Khan, was really upset.

“The unfortunate father took his smart phone away but the boy insisted that he should be given his phone. They had a heated argument in the night and then on Saturday morning, a second round followed,” a police official said, adding that the boy was so enraged that he took a hand gun and opened fire at his father and mother.

“The unfortunate father died on the spot while the mother has been left critically injured. She has been rushed to the hospital where her condition is stated to be critical,” he added.

The police arrested the accused who is a juvenile offender.

“His mother told the police in hospital that her son is a minor and that is why he should not be held responsible,” he said.

The investigation officer said that the boy has been arrested and he told the police that he used to go to nearby mountains every day to make TikTok videos on which his father was not happy and he took his phone away.

“He took away my phone leaving me really enraged and I took my father’s gun and opened fire at him,” he said.

The incident caused widespread panic among the general public across the district.

The news story of the youngster made rounds on social media. Police also recovered the pistol used in the attack and send the body for autopsy.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2023.