A third person has been arrested in connection to a drive-by air gun shooting in downtown Salina on March 15. Salina Police also dealt with more cases related to this Tiktok-inspired trend over the weekend.
Kaleb Arthurs, an 18-year-old man, interviewed with police Friday evening about his connection to the March 15 incident, when a woman working on some landscaping was shot with an air gun in the 200 block of Santa Fe. After the interview, Arthurs was booked into the Saline County Jail and faces requested single counts of aggravated assault and battery.
Police Capt. Gary Hanus tells KSAL News that the air gun shootings didn’t stop, however. On Saturday alone, three additional incidents occurred. A woman in the YMCA parking lot was shot in the face and had minor injuries. A woman on an area track team was running at the intersection of Ohio and Crawford when she was struck but not injured. Also, a 50-year-old veteran was hit in the face by a shot that went through his open car window in the parking lot of Dillon’s on W. Crawford.
All three cases happened between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. Hanus said it is believed other things and people were shot at, but those were the only cases reported to police.
Hanus said he wants to issue a warning to citizens about how dangerous this trend is, and how parents should be aware and advise their children about the consequences that result from participating in the acts related to this trend.
Original story from March 18:
Salina Police have made a couple of arrests in connection with a recent drive by shooting involving an air-gun which they describe as inspired by the TikTok social media platform. The crime was this week’s Salina Crime Stoppers crime of the week.
Police say Tuesday of this week at approximately 11:48 am, a person working with a crew in the 200 block of South Santa Fe contacted the agency to report she had been shot with a BB gun.
The victim described the suspect vehicle as a white Dodge Ram four-door pickup and provided a partial tag number. Additionally, the victim believed three young white males were in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
On Friday, by using the partial tag number, Salina Police Detectives were able to locate the white Dodge Ram pickup in the 700 block of South Ninth Street. The detectives were able to locate two individuals associated with the shooting and the vehicle. Those two subjects were taken to the Salina Police Department for questioning.
Detectives learned the suspect’s actions might be associated with a TikTok “Orbeez Challenge” on social media involving gel or water beads fired from airsoft-type guns. This challenge encourages participants to use airsoft-type guns which shoot gel or water beads at pedestrians. This social media challenge is apparently a nation-wide phenomenon and has resulted in injuries.
The following individuals will be referred to the Saline County Attorney’s Office and the Salina
Municipal Prosecutor’s Office for charges.
17-year-old Zachary S. Forgue, 736 S. Ninth Street
Aggravated Assault (District Court Juvenile Charge)
Battery (District Court Juvenile Charge)
18-year-old Lucas E. Burleson, 736 S. 9th Street
Unlawful Discharge of an Air Gun within the city limits (Municipal Charge)
There is a third subject involved in this incident. Once they are identified, that person will be interviewed and may be subject to charges.
