.png)
4 months ago
14
Two high school students are believed to have leapt off a South Carolina bridge into a lake before drowning because they were apparently dared by friends in a group chat.
Ryan Al-Nasser, 16, and Zakaria Chaar, 15, were both students at Daniel High School in Pickens County, South Carolina.
Local police claim that the pair were in group chats with friends daring them to jump off Twelve Mile River Bridge into Lake Hartwell.
The lake was the site of a tragic accidental drowning death of an 18-year-old just this past July 4.
The boys, both sophomores, apparently took their friends up on the dare and jumped off the bridge Saturday.
Ryan Al-Nasser (pictured left), 16, and Zakaria Chaar (pictured right), 15, were both students at Daniel High School in Central. They are believed to have leapt off a South Carolina bridge into a lake before drowning because they were apparently dared by friends in a group chat
Police were informed at around 10:30pm Saturday by a person calling 911 saying they had lost their friends.
According to the police, it appeared one of the boys made the jump while another attempted to rescue him before being dragged by the current of the water.
'The reports from an individual who was on shore sounded like the way he landed was awkward, which might have caused him to go into distress,' Chief Deputy Chuck James said.
He added that one of the boys had 'immediately gone into distress.' A second call was made to 911 saying the boys were missing.
Officials searched for two days before the bodies were eventually taken out of the water on Monday morning at 11am by a local boater.
The bodies were found around eight feet from one another in the 15-feet deep water.
James blamed what is apparently a social media challenge and peer pressure on the boys' deaths.
'TikTok trends or, you know, habits where people are trying to encourage people to jump off bridges or anything in that nature... I mean, it's just inherently not safe,' he told Fox Carolina.
Al-Nasser (pictured) and Chaar were found dead on Monday morning, eight feet from one another
Local police claim that the pair were in group chats with friends daring them to jump offTwelve Mile River Bridge into Lake Hartwell
According to the police, it appeared one of the boys made the jump while another attempted to rescue him before being dragged by the current of the water
The bodies were found around eight feet from one another in the 15-feet deep water
The school district in Pickens County, where Daniel High School is located, called it a 'profound tragedy.'
'We ask for privacy and respect for the families as they navigate through this unimaginable loss. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this tragedy.'
They added that counseling is on-site at the high school for anyone who might need it.
English (US)