Teen injured during 'Nerf Wars' after friend accidently runs him over in Sauk Rapids
File photo of a Nerf gun and darts. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images). (Getty Images)
SAUK RAPIDS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 16-year-old boy from Rice was accidentally run over by a friend during a "Nerf War" near South Side Park in Sauk Rapids.
Police are asking parents to "encourage their children to cease and desist, before there is a fatality," and that some Nerf War activities could be considered disorderly conduct.
‘Nerf War’ injury
Big picture view:
Sauk Rapids police say they responded to a pedestrian vs. vehicle accident just after 2:50 p.m. near South Side Park in Sauk Rapids on Saturday.
They then found an injured 16-year-old boy from Rice who was hiding on the ground near the vehicle he arrived in when his friend accidentally ran him over, authorities say.
A passerby then treated the teenager at the scene. Police say the teen did not have any life-threatening injuries, but was taken to the hospital, where he will stay for treatment and observation.
What they're saying:
Sauk Rapids Police Chief Perry Beise released the following statement:
"The Sauk Rapids Police were concerned about injuries and accidents that have and could occur during these nerf wars and wish to advise parents to encourage their children to cease and desist, before there is a fatality. Some of the activities in the nerf wars could be considered at minimum a crime of disorderly conduct."
Chief Beise adds that high school-aged juveniles involved in Nerf Wars has become an annual occurrence.
Past ‘Nerf War’ incidents
Police issue safety warning ahead of Nerf Wars in Chaska
Sophomores, juniors and seniors are armed and ready as Nerf wars begin this week. The game, which gets underway Friday at 7 p.m. in Chaska, has received much criticism after two teens died while playing the game in 2015.
Dig deeper:
Several Eden Prairie residents called the police in 2024 to express concerns about the game after seeing actions such as "blocking cars in parking lots, impeding traffic and dangerous driving."
READ MORE: Eden Prairie police warn about students playing 'Nerf Wars'
Such incidents have been reported as far back as 2018.
Chaska police issued a safety warning on Nerf Wars in 2019.
READ MORE: ‘Senior assassin’ detained, Brooklyn Park PD warn of student games
Earlier this month, police in Vrigina, Minn., issued a warning about Nerf Wars "spinning out of control" after getting reports of "students running through yards, entering property without permission, conducting ‘drive-by shootings’ and causing fear and alarm in residents that are not involved in the game."
The Source: This story used information from a Sauk Rapids Police Department news release.