PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Two Pembroke Pines teens who police said shot at more than two dozen people with a pellet gun as part of a social media dare called the Orbeez Challenge are facing multiple charges.
Ryan Nicholas Quiroz and Andrew Morales, both 18, were arrested after police said they were driving through several locations using a SplatRball pellet gun to shoot at people with Orbeez water pellets. One of the people struck was a senior citizen, according to police.
On Tuesday, June 21, several 911 callers reported a gray Chevrolet Silverado driving through neighborhoods around 5:30 p.m. in Pembroke Pines hitting random people with pellets. When police caught up with the car, the suspects took off. They were eventually stopped by Miramar Police. They were transferred to Broward Sherriff’s Office main jail.
Quiroz and Morales are facing three counts of misdemeanor simple battery as well as felony battery on a person over 65 years of age.
The TikTok challenge is becoming a growing problem across the United States, according to police. The challenge encourages people to do drive-by-style shooting using projectile shooters to shoot the water-filled gel beads.
“The individuals that had been shot were shot throughout different parts of their body and several of them were shot in the face,” said Major Al Xiques, Pembroke Pines Police.
Pembroke Pines police emphasize that pointing any type of firearm at a person, even a pellet gun, is a crime and are advising anyone to not participate in challenges that can lead to injury to others or damage to property.