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The attacks happened just before 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the Briarcliff Drive and Bryn Mawr Avenue areas, Auburn police said. Parents started calling officers to report that their children had been "shot" with gel pellets called Orbeez from a small pistol.
Orbeez is tiny, squishy beads made of water and a gel polymer that has become wildly popular with kids and content creators on social media apps like TikTok. Last year, the "Orbeez Challenge" became a concern after people were filming themselves shooting strangers with the small pellets and running away, news outlets across the country reported. The guns can sometimes look realistic.
It's unclear if the incident this week was inspired by the long-dead viral trend.
Police canvassed the neighborhood where the incidents happened and reviewed security camera footage to identify the make and model of the white four-door sedan. They found it parked in the Auburn High School parking lot with one of the suspects inside, authorities said.
Officers spoke to the driver, who quickly admitted what happened and implicated two others involved, officials said. Police saw the toy gun they used in plain sight sitting in the back seat.
The three teenagers were charged with nine counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, Auburn police said. Officials did not release their names or any other information because of their ages.
Though, several people online felt the charges do not fit the crime.
"Don’t you think 9 counts is a little much for an Orbeez gun?" one person posted on Facebook. "Can kids not play around anymore? Did they hurt anyone? I mean sure maybe they weren’t expecting it but there’s no need to ruin the kids' future with a record."
Though, some felt that the teens needlessly scared the middle schoolers and caused them trauma.
"Assault & battery is assault and battery," a woman wrote. "It doesn’t matter what they used to do it. It was illegal what these kids did and they should be punished accordingly. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."
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