Teen suspect charged with shooting Barrington High School students with water beads in TikTok challenge; transgender student believes he was targeted
BARRINGTON, Ill. (CBS) -- A juvenile suspect has been charged with shooting multiple students at Barrington High School with a water bead gun as part of a TikTok challenge.
One transgender student who was struck along with his boyfriend believes they were targeted in a hate crime – but the suspect has not been charged as such.
Barrington police said they learned the juvenile suspect shot at several people with an item that was identified as a SplatRBall Water Bead Blaster. Police did not specify whether the juvenile suspect is also a Barrington High School student.
Three people were struck by the water beads, and one suffered a minor injury. Two of the three students decided to seek prosecution.
Police said the suspect was taking part in the "Orbeez challenge" a dangerous new trend that has made its way to the campus. The trend involves people shooting the Orbeez balls at others with an airsoft gun or gel-ball gun for the TikTok social video platform.
The suspect has been charged as a juvenile with two counts each of disorderly conduct and battery.
Matt Petterson – a transgender junior at Barrington High School – believes he was targeted in something more sinister than a TikTok challenge.
"My boyfriend got shot in the face, and he has a bruise there now," Matt told us last week.
Barrington High School sent a letter, acknowledging students who were victims of this incident are members of the LGBTQ community; and also stating "harassment, bullying, or intimidation of any kind will not be tolerated."
Matt's mother, Kristen Petterson, said both she and the school's officer filed a report with the Barrington Police Department.
"This just kind of crosses the line, and I don't feel like it was just a TikTok challenge, because the shooters followed him into the school," she said.
Matt said if he didn't get the safety he required, he planned to transfer to another school.
