Viral TikTok challenge targets pedestrians in West Michigan

The blame for this lies with social media!

Two years after authorities announced the presence of a new viral challenge in southwest Michigan, residents are still afraid of this sweeping social media trend.

Police in Dearborn, Michigan made several arrests in 2022 with the help of the public when pedestrians were attacked with plastic projectiles. Later that year, police in Marshall, Michigan has issued a stern warning to potential perpetrators:

We have recently received reports of similar activity here in the city; pedestrians reporting being shot at with projectiles from moving vehicles. A suspect vehicle was described as a silver Kia with front-end damage. If you have any information you would like to share, please call the dispatch center at 269-781-0911 or the Marshall Silent Observer at 269-781-9700. You can also message this (Facebook) page directly to help officers locate and identify the vehicle and suspects involved. It is very likely that videos of these incidents are circulating on TikTok, Snapchat, and other social media platforms.

What is the Orbeez Challenge?

If you don’t know Orbeez, they are small beads that get bigger when placed in water. The popular children’s toy is available at almost any toy store, Walmart or Target. However, teenagers are they abuse and use these beads instead as Projectiles to shoot at passers-by.

This viral challenge has appeared across the country from Michigan to Florida to Oklahoma. There’s even a case where a TV reporter was filmed using Orbeez during a remote broadcast!

Police in Kalamazoo, Michigan, said they have received several complaints related to the Orbeez Challenge Some say the toy guns have been modified to look more realistic, according to WWMT News 3.

Authorities say if these perpetrators are caught, they will face consequences