With each new day comes a new TikTok challenge. Among the increasing number of challenges that are going viral, there are some that cause children to put themselves - and others - in grave danger. It appears Gen Z has a new thing - they’re shooting Orbeez balls. Apart from shooting, the trend, which sometimes goes by the name OrbeeChallenge, also involves users making Orbeez ammo gun tutorials.
Although the challenge may seem harmless at first glance, the trend involving the popular children's toy is now resulting in criminal charges.
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What is Orbeez Challenge?
Orbeez are tiny, vibrant water beads or pellets that are offered to children to encourage sensory play. Acrylic acid, sodium hydroxide, super-absorbent polymers, and color pigments make up each individual Orbeez. Orbeez expand when submerged in water, and they contract when exposed to sunshine. However, TikTokers are using the toy in an entirely different way. While some teenagers use Orbeez to create their own stress balls, others turn the vibrant pellets into weapons. The challenge involves filling some type of blaster or toy gun with Orbeez balls, then shooting it at strangers while recording the interaction for TikTok.
@splatterballs Limited time skin, check out bio. #viral #fyp #gelblaster #orbeez #musthaves ♬ Shotta Flow (Feat. Blueface) [Remix]Can the challenge land you in prison?
While this may all seem harmless, launching Orbeez at others can seriously hurt. This is why this challenge can be considered a felony in some states. In a TikTok video, Michigan attorney Dustyn Coontz, who is the founder of Coontz Law, PLLC, explained the legal ramifications. The video came after a March 22, 2023 incident, where a Michigan teen was charged with assault after allegedly doing the challenge, according to MLive.com.
According to Michigan law, employing a deadly weapon "without intending to commit murder or inflict great bodily harm less than murder" constitutes a crime punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine. And yes, a BB gun is regarded as a dangerous weapon by the authorities, he explained.
