In response to a recent viral social media trend on TikTok encouraging children to load soft gel or water balls in airsoft or gel-ball guns and fire them at innocent victims, Dayton Mayor Ben Baker issued an executive order this week prohibiting the use of these guns in the city’s parks.
In the “#OrbeezChallenge” – named after the manufacturer of the gel balls – people share
videos of themselves shooting others from a gun filled with Orbeez balls on TikTok and other social-media channels. These water pellets may cause bodily injury to individuals who are shot by them.
A Dayton city ordinance outlines conduct that is prohibited in city parks, including acts that “endanger the safety of any person by any conduct or act” and “any assault, battery, or engag[ing] in fighting.” Under this ordinance, the city mayor also may approve additional rules and regulations in these parks, which Mayor Baker did on Thursday when he issued Executive Order No. 2022-3.
The Executive Order prohibits the use of splatter guns — also known as Orbeez or water pellet guns – as well as air pellet, BB, and paint-ball guns in city parks. The order also states that the use of these types of weapons on public sidewalks and other public rights-of-way, which causes bodily injury to individuals, may result in criminal charges being issued for wanton endangerment under Chapter 508 of the Kentucky Penal Code.
“The City of Dayton is a safe community with very little crime, but some parents expressed concern to me about the use of these types of weapons in our parks, so after researching this issue and discussing it with the city administrator and police chief, I issued an executive order prohibiting their use in our parks,” Mayor Ben Baker said. “It’s a shame that a few bad apples, trying to make a name for themselves on social media, have caused me to take this action.”
Campbell County District Court previously convicted a person for wanton endangerment after he shot a pellet/BB gun at an unsuspecting victim, which caused bodily injury, according to Police Chief David Halfhill.
Mayor Baker said that he and Police Chief Halfhill will continue to monitor activity in city parks and this social media trend to determine if and when the executive order will be lifted in the future.