TOLEDO, Ohio — Police have a warning. They say another violent TikTok challenge is putting innocent bystanders in danger.
It's called the Orbeez Challenge and it has teens shooting people with gel water pellets.
Although it may sound harmless, people are using airsoft guns filled with Orbeez to fire out of a moving car at random people.
Many have attributed this challenge to the social media app TikTok, which has brought people from across the world together to talk fashion, food, music and more.
But those 60 second clips can also be dangerous, Mark King said.
"I always tells parents you should really try to monitor your children's activities on social media platforms. Be alert and attentive to what your children are doing," King said.
King, a more than 30 year retiree of the Toledo Police Department, now runs the police training program at Owen's Community College as the Criminal Justice Chair.
He said he's heard of one of the Orbeez Challenge.
"I have seen some of those and I get it. You may think 'oh it's not a big deal.' Well, it might not be if you're doing it to friends or acquittances. But, if you're doing it to strangers they may not appreciate that," King said.
The number of reports about Orbeez shootings have been growing. Some have happened in Deaborn, Michigan, in Arizona and in Florida where teens have been arrested for the challenge.
So kids, beware! Area officers are cracking down by arresting and bringing down charges like battery or assault.
What's worse is that in some incidents, the air soft guns have been spray painted to look like real guns.
This only heightens situations and makes things potentially more dangerous because, King said, if you shoot at the wrong person, they may not wait for the cops.
"I've seen people assaulted for doing things like that. Not a good idea. But, again you need to think a step ahead and children are always good at thinking steps ahead, 'If I do this what's gonna happen?' " King said.
WTOL 11 did reach out to the Toledo Police Department about the challenge.
TPD said they haven't had any issues with anyone participating in the Orbeez Challenge.