Law enforcement officials advise Floridians against accepting an online challenge to shoot others using soft gel beads referred to as Orbeez.
PASCO COUNTY, FL -PASCO COUNTY, FL – Florida police officers warn citizens against following the latest trend on social media, which encourages shooting others with water beads referred to as Orbeez made from a modified water gun or BB gun.
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is among the latest police departments to announce a caution not to participate in what’s described as”the “Orbeez challenge” through the online social networking application TikTok.
“While this isn’t illegal, it is important to engage in this activity with a sense of responsibility to protect everyone in our community, ” said the Sheriff’s Office in a press release.
Orbeez is non-toxic, soft biodegradable gel balls that are shot with special gel blasters available in many department stores’ toy aisles.
Law enforcement officials stated that the tiny ball shot rapidly from a toy gun could cause eye injury.
In addition, the sheriff’s department advised that it’s not a good idea to shoot strangers using any toy gun, which could be confused with the real firearm.
“We encourage our citizens to participate in this trend,” said the Pasco sheriff.
Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies use a more aggressive approach to Orbeez clowns.
A Pinellas County woman was charged with battery on Saturday when she was accused of shooting her friend using gel beads.
The neighbor was walking by the woman’s home and stepped on her porch and shot her neighbor in the eye with beads of gel.
The latest trend in social media has authorities in various states worried about the possibility of injuries.
The incident occurred in Peachtree City in Georgia Police in Peachtree City, Georgia. The boy riding his bicycle Monday was struck with bruises and a bloody nose on his chest. The incident occurred after teens shooting Orbeez plastic “splatter guns” around the child and shot.
Police say the shootings have been “getting out of control” because they’re witnessing more instances. Teens are using Orbeez guns to kill strangers, and one another, police claimed.
Myrtle Beach Police in South Carolina warned parents against the possibility of loading replica guns with Orbeez Gel beads. Although replica guns aren’t as deadly weapons, they could be mistaken for real firearms and transform a joke into a serious incident, according to officials.
