News: Teen Girl Suffers Collapsed Lung Following Pellet Gun Attack in San Jose (update: Orbeez TikTok challenge)

[Arcadia]

I know pellet guns can cause serious car windshield and windows damage but like the victim’s dad said people are unaware that pellet gun injuries can be life threatening.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/teen-girl-suffers-collapsed-lung-following-pellet-gun-attack-in-san-jose/2917510/

“A 15-year-old girl is in intensive care after a pellet gun attack in San Jose. It happened as she was walking near Valley Fair Mall.

Gianna Vitarelli is currently in pediatric intensive care at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center with a collapsed lung. She told NBC Bay Area Sunday that she’s disheartened someone would shoot her with a pellet gun.

Vitarelli described the pellet gun attack that happened Friday afternoon in San Jose as she was walking with a friend from Valley Fair toward a home.

“A car pulls up behind us, shoots me in the back and then, drives away,” she said.

Vitarelli suffered a collapsed lung and fractured rib. In an X-ray, the pellet was still lodged in her body because doctors said it was too dangerous to remove.

“But it collapsed my lung. It almost hit my heart, it broke my ribs, and it caused internal bleeding. Also, because I was shot, it may have been a funny prank. But our whole summer trip was canceled because of this. So it’s very hard. It’s not a joke,” Vitarelli said.

The Notre Dame High School student said she had to have a tube inserted into her lungs to help her breathe .

Vitarelli and her family believe the attack may have been a prank, perhaps even one encouraged on Tik Tok as a challenge.

“I’m just very confused. I don’t know why anyone would shoot me?” she said.“

Edited June 14, 2022 by Arcadia

[gardenmom5]

BB guns aren't innocuous.   I drilled firearm safety into dudeling when all he had were nerf guns. I think the biggest problem is people aren't learning those rules - and they don't respect them.  Kids hear "dont' run with scissors/knives" from toddlerhood.  (and I'm still trying to get the "pass the knife by the handle pointing at the person to whom you are giving it" rule through some heads .  . . . . )

Actually - I did that with the older kids with squirt guns . . . . (and anyone who broke those rules . . . I would come out with a hose and soak them.)

[mommyoffive]

51 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

BB guns aren't innocuous.   I drilled firearm safety into dudeling when all he had were nerf guns. I think the biggest problem is people aren't learning those rules - and they don't respect them.  Kids hear "dont' run with scissors/knives" from toddlerhood.  (and I'm still trying to get the "pass the knife by the handle pointing at the person to whom you are giving it" rule through some heads .  . . . . )

Actually - I did that with the older kids with squirt guns . . . . (and anyone who broke those rules . . . I would come out with a hose and soak them.)

I agree.  I am telling my kids the same about BB guns and the like.   I am no gun expert, but don't people shoot animals with these kinds of guns?  My dog that we rescued when she was 7 years old has a BB gun bullet stuck inside of her.

This poor girl.   Just so horrible.  I am just so sadden by what is going on in the US involving guns right now. 

[Arcadia]

27 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

.  I am just so sadden by what is going on in the US involving guns right now. 

California does have the toughest gun laws. This incident happened in one of the “better” areas of San Jose.

[Arcadia]

Two more nearby on same day

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/south-bay/police-investigates-several-pellet-gun-attacks-in-san-jose/2918298/

”Police say they haven't connected the attack to a TikTok challenge, but confirm they are investigating at least two more pellet gun shootings. 

One of the attacks was on a 42-year-old woman in a Walmart parking lot on Stevens Creek Boulevard Friday. 

Less than an hour later, a 9-year-old girl was shot in the back near Westgate Mall.”

[Arcadia]

https://abc7.com/amp/orbeez-pellet-gun-wound/11770788/ April 2022

“HUNTINGTON BEACH (KABC) -- The Huntington Beach Police has received more than 50 calls regarding drive-by pellet gun shootings since January.

"We have seen a significant uptick since February in calls of incidents involving kids shooting Orbeez," said Jennifer Carey, PIO at Huntington Beach Police Department.

It's known on social media as the Orbeez challenge. Kids and young adults stick their head out the window and shoot their pellet guns at people as they drive by.

… These pellet gun shootings can cause welts, cuts and significant injuries. Plus, property damage, says Carey.

Four Huntington Beach juveniles have recently been cited for participating in this challenge and must appear in court in front of a judge.”

[gstharr]

There was always a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun somewhere around the neighborhood when I was grwoing up.  All the kids played with the one or two around.  Yes,, we shot at each other on occassion.  There were no paint guns then.   But the real harm  from  a Red Ryder was getting hit in the eye. I heard the warnings, but no one I knew ever got shot in the eye.  But, the BB guns at Big 5 today  are like firearms.  There is chinese GAMO brand that looks like an assault rifle. the cheap models are about $100, and the top model is around $400.  The top model can fire 22 cal. pellets at 975fps.   I shot one of the cheaper GAMO when I had a pigoen problem.  It can do serious damage. One hit, the bird was done.  the Red Ryder is 350 fps for comparison.  I don't remember ever being able to take down a pigeon with a Red Ryder when I was a kid..   Absolutely, no permit or backgroud check to buy a GAMO. I'm not sure if there is even an age limit to buy. 

[shawthorne44]

If it is a TikTok challenge, don't people then post videos of themselves doing it?   
Seems that would make finding them easy.

[Arcadia]

12 minutes ago, shawthorne44 said:

If it is a TikTok challenge, don't people then post videos of themselves doing it?   
Seems that would make finding them easy.

I think some people imitate what they see on TikTok but they don’t have a TikTok account and they don’t post on social media either. 
For this case, all 3 victims are females. If it is the same perpetrator, that might mean he/she only attacks females. The three locations are short driving distance from each other.

[Ting Tang]

Pellets can have lead in them, too. You don't want that in your body.   They should be treated, stored, etc. the same way as any other type of firearm.  Period.   They're not toys.  They could be used for supervised target shooting and maybe hunting animals, but certainly not for HARMING animals or humans.  Absolutely disgusting.  

 

[shawthorne44]

My mother said that several in the neighborhood had broken windows.  Apparently that is a TikTok thing too.  

[Arcadia]

49 minutes ago, shawthorne44 said:

My mother said that several in the neighborhood had broken windows.  Apparently that is a TikTok thing too.  

Were the windows shot with pellet guns too? Was thinking maybe the person was aiming at vehicles and windows were unintentionally hit. In March this year San Luis Obispo, a vehicle and a high school student were shot with pellet guns in separate incidents. The police there said the TikTok challenge was to hit vehicles and people with airsoft or pellet guns.

[shawthorne44]

10 hours ago, Arcadia said:

Were the windows shot with pellet guns too? Was thinking maybe the person was aiming at vehicles and windows were unintentionally hit. In March this year San Luis Obispo, a vehicle and a high school student were shot with pellet guns in separate incidents. The police there said the TikTok challenge was to hit vehicles and people with airsoft or pellet guns.

I don't know if they would have known.   Mom didn't tell me of anyone actually seeing it happen, so BB's would have been lost in the debris.   They came home to a random broken window and nothing stolen (which is of course the first thing you check).    Seems particularly dumb since doesn't every other house have exterior cameras?    

DH who did many incredibly dumb things as child/young adult that could have legit killed him, used to regularly have BB gun fights with other equally stupid teen boys.   They didn't even have eye protection!   I have zero experience with BB guns, so my concern was his eyes.   He said they "weren't necessary because if anyone shot near someone's head, the rest of the boys would close in and all shoot at that boy.  And it would hurt."   This was even low on the list of stupid things he did.   Only thing that stopped the BB fights was that a police station was built within hearing distance of the pasture they used.   Police react badly to the sound of gun fights nearby.