Canton police want kids to stop using gel ball blaster toy guns in town

CANTON - Canton Police want kids in town to stop using gel ball blaster guns.

The department posted a safety advisory Monday saying there's been an increase in incidents involving teens and the popular toy, which is also known as an orbeez gun.

Police said their biggest concern is that the guns can be "easily mistaken for an actual firearm" and could cause "an immense amount of confusion and panic."

There are also several social media challenges linked to the guns.

"Some youths on social media have taken the competition a step further and started freezing the gel balls, thus making them very dangerous projectiles," police said in their statement.

The gel blaster guns are banned on all town property in Canton. Anyone caught using them could face criminal charges.

Police want parents to talk to their children about the "real life potential for harm" that could come from using the toy guns. 

Last year, four Billerica Memorial High School students were arrested and charged with assault after police said they fired gel blasters and hurt teens in Tewksbury.

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• Canton News