What Is The 'Suspect Challenge' Meme? Explaining Viral TikTok Trend

The "Suspect Challenge" has been trending on TikTok lately, where couples and friends make fun of each other while mockingly describing their selected suspect in the manner of a police broadcast. In October, the "Suspect Challenge" began with TikTokers making fun of each other by describing an escape suspect in the manner of a police officer. The style of the challenge contains a little mystery-maybe it is because police body cam footage is so common on the internet or because true-crime podcasts are so prevalent, a case of content mingling together in the digital world. The creators take turns acting as a police officer and as an escaping suspect, engaging in offensive verbal exchange with some being too personal, but most staying lighthearted.

Want to see how it all happened??? Look at our #SuspectChallenge with a surprise at the end 🥰 pic.twitter.com/tGznLYX01t

— Claire Kyle (@ThatClaireKyleG) November 9, 2024

Several have taken this viral challenge and the best videos show the "suspect" hit with a sudden and awful remark. Prominent creators including celebrities like Emily Ratajkowski actively got engaged in the ongoing TikTok trend. As the challenge reached its popularity, the videos started becoming very comic, with many creators mixing insults with flattering descriptions.

so me and my friends did the #SuspectChallenge and I think we might of took it too far 😭😭😭🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/zDLpcWHmN8

— wyn :) (@WynterCymon) November 8, 2024

How Did The Suspect Challenge Start?The trend dates back to a meme in 2023, known as "We're X, Of Course We Y" which saw content creators mock their identity and describe themselves as "we're cops, of course we wear Oakleys."

They started going blow for blow in the suspect challenge LMAOOOO pic.twitter.com/CSeRXb2Rdf

— Boochie is the Name (@stoppfeenin) October 30, 2024

Since 2023, the challenge has taken off on the video sharing app. The running part is a key component of the viral challenge as it prompts a good reaction from suspects, who either take offense personally, or become breathless by laughing. Ultimately, it is a lighthearted challenge believed to be entertaining for TikTokers to roast their friends and say things on camera that they wouldn't get away with.