SAUK RAPIDS, Minnesota — Perry Beise, the chief of police in Sauk Rapids, is not going to mince words about it.
“It is a little frustrating because I know that the parents know these kids are doing this, that the kids are sneaking out of the house, taking a car, buying a Nerf gun, and chasing other people around,” according to the chief.
That annoyance stems from a game that many high school-aged students across the country, including Minnesota, play every year: “Nerf Wars.” The game goes by several names, but Beise claims it has become a problem for them.
“I just don’t understand why the parents don’t step in and stop this,” he told me.
A 16-year-old local student was run over while playing the game this weekend.
“Fortunately, he’ll recover,” Beise said. “But he could have easily, easily died in that incident.”
“One young man got out of the van, snuck around it, and then laid down in front of the van so he couldn’t be seen,” Beise explained.
“When the other car pulled in, the driver of the van started to roll forward, and the young man who was laying on the ground tried to scoot out the way, but the van’s front driver tire rolled right over his right over his abdomen.”
It is not the first or only time something like this has occurred. For years, law enforcement officers across the state have warned students to be cautious and change their playing styles in order to stay safe.
“You just really wouldn’t want another community to go through what Lakeville did 10 years ago,” Lakeville Mayor Luke Hellier said.
Hellier was born and raised in Lakeville and has firsthand knowledge of the game’s impact on the community. In 2015, two Lakeville High School students died in a car accident while playing the game.
“Just stay out of cars, because at the end of the day, whatever prize is there, is not worth the risk of your life,” Hellier told reporters.
Other departments have previously told KARE 11 that if students want to play the game, they should follow these simple rules.
Never play the game in or near a moving vehicle, either as a driver or passenger.
When playing on public property or in neighborhoods, exercise caution and be mindful of others who are using public spaces.
Stick to using brightly colored Nerf guns that are clearly not real firearms; never use replica guns in public.
If you encounter police while carrying a Nerf-type gun, put it down immediately and obey the officers’ instructions.
Beise’s instructions are simple: don’t play the game at all.
“That is the choice. “Are you willing to risk your child for a game of Nerf Wars?” he asked.
“My recommendation is to not do it,” Beise said. “To stop.”