Police have officially charged a 17-year-old TikToker after he allegedly ran over and killed two girls in New Jersey, and reports have revealed that he hosted a disturbing 22-minute-long livestream immediately afterwards.
The teenager was initially taken into custody by the police after the event, but it took several days for him to be officially charged with the crime.
He is accused of intentionally running over and killing both Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas while they were riding their bikes, and charged with two counts of murder by the Union County Prosecutor's Office, although his name hasn't been released due to his age.
As shared by Fox, a statement from the families of the two girls suggested that the 17-year-old had been stalking Niotis in particular for months, writing that he is "a coward of a man" who "carried out this horrific act, taking not only her life but also Isabella's."
Advert
They also added that the accused killer is "not insane" like some would believe an action like this might suggest, but instead that "he is competent and meditated," due to the allegations of prolonged stalking.
"It is now vital that the truth be shared: this was not an e-bike accident, and it was not a hit-and-run," the families asserted. "This was murder in the first degree."
Reports from Dexerto now indicate that the unnamed 17-year-old started a live stream on YouTube after the attack took place but before the charges were announced, where he played video games and discussed the situation he is alleged to be involved in.
It appears as if he went live the day after the two girls were tragically killed, playing MLB The Show while sharing his thoughts on the online backlash he was facing while also bragging about how many views the stream was receiving.
Footage reviewed by Dexerto indicated that he called the death of the two girls a "tragic accident," offered his "condolences" to their families, and also added that there was "misinformation" spreading online about him. He also declared that "threats against my family won't be tolerated. You're opening Pandora's box by getting family involved.
Previous live streams viewed by Dexerto also appear to suggest that he harassed Maria Niotis by sending pizza delivery orders to her house after she claimed he had sent her AI generated deepfake images, once again bragging about his actions while broadcasting live across social media.
Residents on the block where the two girls lived also claim that he had repeatedly parked outside Maria's home, showed up at her school, and attempted to contact her online, and have expressed their frustrations that concerns were "never taken seriously."