Have you heard of Orbeez? Police are investigating multiple shootings with the gel beads

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — At schools, gas stations and arcades — reports of people getting shot, (or shot at), with toy guns are popping up all over Jacksonville — and police say it’s part of the ‘Orbeez’ social media challenge.

Action News Jax Courtney Cole looked through dozens of pages of incident reports that show this is becoming a problem in our area.

RELATED STORY: New Tik Tok challenge encourages drive-by toy gun shootings

The watery, gel-like beads alone are harmless. They have many uses, but are commonly used for kids’ crafts and games. But when the beads are put into different types of toy guns, that’s when they become dangerous.

In the story above, you’ll see an unsuspecting mother in Volusia County who was shot at with Orbeez, with her young daughter still in the stroller.

In the same county, a different person can be seen shooting Orbeez at an Amazon driver out of a car window.

This is exactly what police and parents are worried about.

“Just to know that there are people putting them in guns, specifically children, that’s a no-go. However, I don’t want to say that the Orbeez is bad, it’s just bad parenting if they’re letting their children put this in a gun and shoot it,” said parent Atwaul Bennett.

Today, Action News Jax uncovered at least eight police reports of Orbeez shootings happening across Jacksonville since September.

Victims described getting shot in the face, chest and back, with the impact of the beads leaving welts behind.

The incidents happened in different parts of town, at places like Chafee Trail Elementary School, Wawa, and Dave and Buster’s.

“It’s our job as parents, as adults, to kind of steer them in the right direction, so hopefully law enforcement doesn’t have to get involved,” Bennett told Action News Jax’s Courtney Cole.

PRICED OUT OF JAX: Jacksonville’s rental crisis featured on 60 Minutes

In a Facebook post from the Fernandina Beach Police Department, it shows the type of guns being used with the Orbeez beads.

Based on what Cole read on the Orbeez Spinmaster website, the beads are designed for educational, creative and sensory play, and were not meant to be used as projectiles or inserted into any type of guns of other devices.

“Technically it doesn’t matter what it is, you just have to make sure you’re teaching your child correct and make sure that you’re there for them, however they need it. Even with something like this,” Bennett said.

Action News Jax has learned multiple people, including adults and kids, have been charged in connection to area Orbeez shootings.

©2022 Cox Media Group