A social media prank turned into felonies for two 18-year-olds who opted to terrorize more than two dozen Broward residents on Tuesday, police said.
Ryan Quiroz and Andrew Morales, both from Pembroke Pines, are facing three counts of misdemeanor simple battery and a first degree felony battery on a person over 65. As of Wednesday, they were still held in the Broward Sheriff’s Office Main Jail.
Quiroz and Morales loaded a pellet gun with Orbeez, a brand of water beads, and hopped in their gray Chevrolet Silverado around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Pembroke Pines police said.
Two hours of chaos ensued, as the men took aim at about 25 people throughout Pembroke Pines and Miramar, hitting them with the pellet gun, police said.
“We received several calls throughout west and central Pembroke Pines,” added police spokeswoman Amanda Conwell.
According to Conwell, none of the victims sustained any major injuries, just some bruises with red marks. They were hit in the face and neck — with two being struck right by their eyes.
One of the victims was 71 years old.
After their shooting spree, the men fled Pembroke Pines before later being stopped by Miramar police.
Investigators subsequently found out that Quiroz and Morales were participating in the “Orbeez Challenge” — a social media trend that has become popular on TikTok.
“This type of challenge which is being spread on social media is a crime,” Pembroke Pines police said in a statement. “Pointing any type of firearm at a person, even a pellet gun, is not a joke and can lead to dangerous consequences.”
Police went on to highlight the dangers pellets can cause, including injury to others or damage to property. Possible injury is a concerning aspect of the social media challenge, which has already made its way through other parts of Florida.
“We’re asking parents to help us keep our community safe by speaking with your children about the dangers of participating in these types of pranks,” police said.
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