File photo of a Nerf gun and bullets. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (FOX 9) – The Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) has warned about students at Eden Prairie High School playing “Nerf Wars” in the city, after receiving several calls from residents concerned about the game.
Police say the game is not school-sponsored or endorsed, but it involves students making teams and shooting each other with Nerf guns to eliminate players in the game.
“While seemingly harmless, the game can become dangerous when participants make reckless choices,” the Eden Prairie Police Department said in a post on Facebook.
The police department said on Thursday, that in the last three days it has gotten at least 11 calls from Eden Prairie residents reporting participants in the game “blocking cars in parking lots, impeding traffic and dangerous driving.”
“Participants engrossed in a game of Nerf Wars often find themselves driving recklessly, forgetting to use seat belts, driving at dangerous speeds and disregarding traffic laws. In the past few years, police in the metro area have responded to numerous Nerf War-related calls including motor vehicle accidents with injuries, property damage, suspicious activity and disorderly conduct,” EPPD continued in the post.
Back in 2015, two teen boys died in a car crash in Lakeville while playing Nerf Wars. In 2016, in New Hope, students playing the game caused a crash that injured two bystanders.
In April, a person was detained in Brooklyn Park, after they were participating in a similar game to Nerf Wars, called “senior assassin.” The game involves high school students tagging each other using projectile-firing guns, according to Brooklyn Park police.
Nerf Wars safety tips from EPPD:
- Never play the game in or near a moving car, whether as a driver or passenger.
- Be respectful of others, and use caution when playing on public property and in neighborhoods.
- Stick to brightly colored Nerf guns.
- If you encounter police while holding a Nerf gun, put it down right away and follow officers’ instructions.
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