EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Editor's note: The above video originally aired on May 3, 2019.
Police in Eden Prairie are issuing a warning after learning that students at the local high school are playing Nerf Wars. This game has previously led to dangerous behavior by participants.
Nerf Wars involves forming teams, hunting down opposing players and shooting them with Nerf guns to eliminate them from the game.
The game is not school-sponsored or endorsed and in the past three days, the police department has received at least 11 complaints about kids playing Nerf Wars.
Residents told police they've witnessed dangerous driving and players blocking cars in parking lots.
Police have also received complaints of teens in cars impeding traffic while playing the game.
The Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) posted a blog on its website saying participants can become so engrossed in the game that it leads to reckless driving, speeding and deciding not to wear seat belts so competitors can jump in and out of cars faster.
"If they choose to partake in the Nerf Wars, we want to make sure that they're making safe choices and that they're staying safe out there," Sgt. Lonnie Soppeland with EPPD said.
In 2015, two Lakeville South High School students died after being thrown from a pickup that was chasing another vehicle at high speeds while playing Nerf Wars.
The following year, Hennepin County prosecutors filed two counts of criminal vehicular operation against a 17-year-old boy after a Nerf Wars incident ended with two innocent people being injured in New Hope.
"We don't want any tragic situations in our city or any city for that matter," Soppeland said. "So if we can educate the kids on how to play the game safely, if they're going to do it, that's our goal."
According to the EPPD blog, if students participate in Nerf Wars police offer the following safety tips:
- Never play the game in or near a moving vehicle, whether as a driver or passenger.
- Use caution when playing on public property or in neighborhoods, and be respectful of others who are using public spaces.
- Stick to using brightly colored Nerf guns that are obviously not real firearms – never use replica guns in public places.
- If you encounter police while in possession of a Nerf-type gun, put it down immediately and follow the officers' instructions.
Eden Prairie Police also make it clear they will enforce all city traffic laws and ordinances to keep the community and its residents safe.
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