Paul Douglas, co-creator of Tomb Raider, looked back on the design of "Skateboard Kid" in the 1996 original game on social media. The design for this villainous henchman was rushed back then; when players encounter him at the skate park, they can actually just run past him without having to kill him.
Skateboard Kid is one of the henchmen of the villain Jacqueline Natla. Douglas can't quite remember who first came up with the idea. He recalls that extreme sports events were on the rise and skateboarding culture was popular at the time, which gave the character a distinct 1990s vibe.
Douglas admits that the team should have spent more time designing Natla's minor henchmen, but in reality, they rushed to finish them just before voice recording. He also mentioned that the original game intentionally portrayed male characters in a somewhat comical light; the encounter at the skate park not only allows players to regain their Uzi submachine gun but also adds a touch of absurdity before the tension rises in the final chapter.
As for Skateboard Kid, Douglas specifically mentioned that players can run past him, leaving him to continue skating. Killing him isn't the only option, though according to his observations, almost no one does it that way.