EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Editors note: The video above first aired in May of 2019.
Police in Eden Prairie are issuing a warning after learning that students at the local high school are planning a "Nerf Wars" game, an activity that has in the past led to behavior that is dangerous or even deadly.
The department posted a blog on its website saying officers had learned students at Eden Prairie High School had organized a game set to begin this week. "Nerf Wars" involves forming teams, hunting down opponents and shooting them with a Nerf gun to eliminate the competition.
Real life stories in other communities illustrate how 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.
In December of 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 families of Jake Flynn and Johnny Price later sued the Lakeville Public Schools, saying the district knew about students conducting the game but did nothing to stop it.
And in May of 2016 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. The teen driver and a passenger were chasing another vehicle down a side street in New Hope, sped through a stop sign and struck another vehicle on Winnetka Avenue at 40 miles per hour. The posted speed limit was 30 mph. Two people in the car that was struck suffered injuries that led to them being hospitalized.
"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," reads the Eden Prairie police blog. "While seemingly harmless, the game can become dangerous when participants make reckless choices."
If students make the decision to go ahead with the game, police offer this advice:
- 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.