Police warn residents of dangerous social media trend

Hallettsville Police shared Shiner Police Department’s warning for local residents about a dangerous social media trend known as the “Orbeez Challenge” or “Senior Assassin,” which has reportedly reached the Lavaca County area and could lead to serious injuries or even fatal consequences.

The trend, which has gone viral on platforms like TikTok, involves mostly teenagers using gel-blaster guns or airsoft guns to shoot water-absorbent gel beads- commonly known as Orbeez- at unsuspecting individuals. In some cases, the gel balls are reportedly being frozen to increase the impact, and the guns are sometimes painted to resemble real firearms, raising alarm among residents and law enforcement.

“The Shiner Police Department has received citizen complaints about teenagers driving recklessly and shooting Orbeez gel blaster guns or AirSoft guns from a moving vehicle,” Shiner Police Chief Wayne Denson said. “One incident was reported to SPD on Thursday evening, and witnesses described four juveniles in a dark color Kia Soul driving recklessly in the area of the KC Hall, stopping abruptly in the street, then jumping out of the vehicle and shooting at each other before getting back in and driving off at high speed. The suspect vehicle was spotted a short time later and stopped by local officers. Investigation revealed that the driver had already dropped off his passengers, but he admitted to riding around and shooting Orbeez guns earlier. The teen driver was cited for no driver’s license and a licensed driver was summoned to the scene to take custody of the vehicle.”

“SPD learned of another incident by a post on social media that reportedly occurred at Green Dickson Park on Wednesday night. A citizen posted that they witnessed ‘high schoolers’ hanging out of the window with the guns and driving at high speeds next to the playground where toddlers were playing.”

According to the police, these seemingly harmless pranks can result in criminal charges, including assault, and may also carry legal consequences for the parents of the minors involved. Innocent citizens that are armed and believe they are under attack could possibly end up using deadly force in such a situation according to SPD. School officials have cautioned the students about the potential risks involved.

“Another problem is that some of the plastic toy guns have been painted black to resemble actual firearms,” Denson said. “Parents, please talk to your kids about this and make sure they understand that they should only play their ‘games’ on private property and not in public or in the streets. We want our kids to have fun, but we also want everyone to be safe.”