A 19-year-old man has died after being critically injured playing a tackle game with friends in Palmerston North on Sunday afternoon.

The man suffered a serious head injury when tackled, and was taken to hospital by his friends. Tragically, he passed away in hospital on Monday night.

This young man’s death is an absolute tragedy and my thoughts are with his family and friends.

The tackle game played by the group of friends was based on a social media-driven trend, where participants compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear.

While this was an impromptu game among friends, not a planned event, this tragic outcome does highlight the inherent safety concerns with such an activity.

We would urge anyone thinking about taking part in a game or event like this to consider the significant safety and injury risks.

While this is not a criminal matter, Police will continue to undertake enquiries on behalf of the Coroner.

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