A group of children was caught by police after riding around on U.S. 17-92 and shooting frozen Orbeez gel projectiles at cars and passersby.
On Monday, September 12, Longwood Police Department officers responded to calls regarding a vehicle filled with occupants who were pointing guns at other cars. The calls indicated that the occupants were aiming and firing unknown projectiles.
Upon stopping the vehicle, officers discovered a car filled with young kids, all of whom, except for the driver, were between the ages of 10 and 12. The children were aiming Orbeez gel BB guns at strangers, according to police.
The “Orbeez challenge” is a recent fad in which children get gel beads known as “Orbeez,” freeze them, load them into a toy gun, and shoot them at strangers while driving around.
Police say that the guns being used in the commission of the crime were nearly identical to real firearms.
“In addition to injuries and property damage caused by the Orbeez, the trend could also insight fear or panic since some of the gel guns could be mistaken for an actual firearm,” reads a social media post from the Longwood Police Department.
Although the incident resulted in no reported injuries, LPD emphasized that similar calls across the country have resulted in “serious injury, fatalities, property damage, and criminal charges.”