Police: 8 and 11-year-old boys hit with Orbeez pellets

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - The Sioux Falls Police Department says witnesses believe teenagers shot the two children with Orbeez pellets.

Police spokesman Sam Clemens says the children had been playing at the Sioux Falls Memorial Park. Saturday around 5:30 p.m. the eight-year-old boy was struck in the face and the 11-year-old boy was struck in the torso by Orbeez gel pellets. The children did not sustain any serious injuries, although the eight-year-old had a red mark that did fade.

Clemens says witnesses believe teenagers shot the two children although they haven’t found the suspects and are continuing to investigate the situation.

Police warning on potential consequences of Orbeez shootings

When asked in the briefing about the potential seriousness of the Orbeez shootings, Clemens said the police would have to look at each individual case to determine the consequences, however, “Getting shot in an eye could cause some significant damage and if that’s the case you’d be looking most likely at an aggravated assault charge, which is a felony.”

“It’s not a game, it’s not something to take lightly, this is something that people shouldn’t be doing, and I would hope that teenagers probably would have enough sense not to do it but unfortunately that’s not what we’ve been seeing,” said Clemens.