A recent shooting in Anderson Township is highlighting safety concerns over "dart wars" (or Nerf wars).
Thousands of students play the game each year in the Tri-State. It involves shooting Nerf-style darts at one another over the period of several weeks.
"We would wake up probably like five o'clock in the morning," said Tiffany Lanigan, who graduated from Ryle High School in 2018. "We would go to people's houses, hide in their shrubs."
Lanigan estimated that about 1,200 kids from her school played the year she did.
"This was a huge deal," she said. "Something that every high school kid looks forward to."
Parents like Amy Rice get thrust in the middle. Rice has a student at Dixie Heights High School and wants to remind people that the game is just kids being kids.
"They will show up at your home at 5 a.m. — hiding behind bushes, hiding around the corners of your house, hiding behind your vehicles," Rice said.
The game has been around for years, but now there’s a new push to keep things under control.
Earlier this month, a group of teenagers was playing the game in Anderson Township when a person started firing a real gun from a nearby home. The sister of Bengals running back Joe Mixon and her boyfriend were indicted in the shooting where one teen was injured.
"I really think with this incident that happened, kids are more aware," said Middletown Police Chief David Birk.
Birk said calls come into his department each year after someone spots what they believe is a "suspicious person" running around their neighborhood.
“Contact the police. Don't take matters into your own hands,” he said. "They're not out really breaking the law or anything as long as they follow and respect other people's property."
Birk advises kids not to paint their toy guns. The bright colors can help others realize they are toys. He also urges players to stay off other people’s property and to avoid wearing dark clothing.
Lanigan said she hopes kids stick to safe fun and avoid stunts that cause more trouble than they’re worth.
"It's supposed to be a fun game to bring kids together and outside these days," said Lanigan. "You think you're invincible until something does happen."
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