NC police warn of suspicious social media trend involving toy guns

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — The Greenville Police Department has issued a warning about a suspicious national social media trend that has made its way to Greenville.

The viral challenge urges people to carry toy guns to fake shootings in public settings. The realistic looking toy guns are filled with Orbeez for ammunition, which are water gel beads marketed towards children.

Greenville Police Department has not received any reports of bystanders being targeted, although groups of teenagers have been seen shooting each other with the toy guns, usually in the middle of busy intersections. The police department has also run into these on more than one occasion during traffic stops.

GPD urges parents to continue to educate their children on the dangers surrounding the events as well as the criminal consequences at risk.

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