Juvenile shoots 12-year-old girls with 'gel-blaster' rounds in Leander: police
LEANDER, Texas - Police say two 12-year-old girls were injured by a juvenile suspect who fired ‘gel-blaster’ rounds at them over Memorial Day weekend.
What we know:
The assault happened on Sunday, May 24 at around 7:47 p.m. in the 600 block of Los Robles Road.
Officers responded to reports that a juvenile in a car had fired gel-blaster rounds at other kids in the area.
Police say the girls were riding their scooters when a beige sedan drove past and a passenger fired multiple rounds at them from a gel-blaster-style gun.
The passenger was seen sitting on the window frame of the front passenger side and pointing the orange-and-green gun over the roof.
One of the girls was struck on her left cheekbone, just below her eye, and the other was hit in the chest.
The juveniles involved in the assault have been identified and the investigation is ongoing.
What we don't know:
Police did not disclose how old the suspects were or what, if any, charges they might face.
What are gel-blaster rounds?
Dig deeper:
Gel-blaster rounds, also known as Gellets, are squishy water-based gel beads that are advertised to burst and disintegrate on impact.
Gel Blaster, the company behind Gellets, says getting hit by them "feels like getting hit with a rubber band – a quick minor sting."
The rounds must be soaked in water to grow to their full size, about 7 to 8 mm in diameter or about the thickness of your standard #2 pencil, before use. Their use is similar to paintballs.
Leander police are reminding the public that these guns and similar devices can cause injuries and may result in criminal charges when used irresponsibly.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the Leander Police Department and GelBlaster.com