PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Water beads have been in the news a lot lately, but not for the reason many would think.
There’s a trend going around on social media called the “Orbeez Challenge,” which encourages kids to shoot strangers with the Orbeez water beads using realistic looking modified water or BB guns.
The Pasco County Sheriff’s office, along with many other law enforcement agencies warned people of the the trend and against people from participating in it.
“While this is not illegal, it’s important to participate in this activity responsibly to ensure the safety of everyone in our community,” PSO said in a tweet.
While the water beads are soft, they are the same size and shape as airsoft BBs and are not intended to be shot from a gun.
The water beads are more than capable of causing injury, especially to sensitive areas like eyes, authorities said.
A boy from Peachtree City, Georgia was shot by a group of teenagers on Tuesday, and suffered bruises on his face and ribs. The Peachtree police department said they would pursue criminal charges against anyone caught shooting water beads.
“In some cases, it could result in felony charges and parents could also be liable for the actions of their kids,” the police department warned in a Facebook post.
Two incidents were also reported in the Jacksonville area in the last week.
Bodily harm isn’t the only problem with this trend. The beads can also damage property and the realistic looking guns can cause a scare.
“Ensure that water or BB guns aren’t painted dark colors and avoid participating during dusk or nighttime,” PSO said.
Law enforcement said if people are going to participate in the trend, they want it to be done responsibly. That means not wear dark colored clothing or trespass when taking part, and to not aim at people, animals or other people’s property.
“We urge our citizens to participate in this trend responsibly, and also share this information to apprise our community of it,” Pasco County deputies said.
