A teenager's life changed after a prank involving a water pistol turned into a serious situation that left him paralyzed.
On May 11, 18-year-old Anakin Zehring was playing a game of "senior assassin" with friends in a Walmart parking lot in Kansas.
The popular water tag game involves students tagging classmates with water gel blasters and posting the encounters on social media, as reported by the New York Post.
During the game, Anakin mistakenly shot water gel at a teenager who was not participating, prompting her to call her father.
According to court documents, her father, Ruben Contreras, 47, arrived at the scene and allegedly shot at Anakin, who was in his blue Chevy Spark.
Contreras has been charged with attempted first-degree murder. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 24.
KAKE reports that the bullet struck Anakin's kidney and liver, punctured his duodenum, and damaged his spinal cord, resulting in a loss of sensation from the waist down.
Surgeons had to fuse several of Anakin's spinal bones to stabilize his condition. As of June 6, Anakin has undergone six surgeries.
Jeremy Zehring, Anakin's father, recounted the terrifying day when his son was shot. He became concerned when Anakin didn't answer his phone.
"I pulled up his locator on his car, and I noticed it was at the Goddard Walmart," Jeremy recalled. "So I started calling him and calling him. It kept going to voicemail."
Upon arriving at the Walmart, Jeremy was confronted with a grim scene and learned that his son had been shot.
"I tried to rush to the car, but [police] stopped me, they said it was an investigation," Jeremy told KAKE.
"I was like, well, where's my son? And they're like Anakin. I said yes. Where's my son? And they're like, well, he's been transported to the hospital."
Anakin is now receiving care at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Omaha. Despite the ordeal, the high school senior's school counselor organized a graduation ceremony for him in the hospital, lifting his spirits.
"It made my son feel good," Jeremy said of Anakin's reaction to the gesture. "I hadn't seen him smile in weeks until that happened."
Anakin's family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover his medical expenses, aiming to raise $50,000.
At the time of writing, $10,700 has been raised.
"Every donation, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to ensuring he gets the care and support he needs. We are eternally grateful for any assistance you can provide. If you cannot donate, your prayers and shares of this campaign are equally valuable in spreading the word," the page reads.