A 49-year-old Port St. Lucie resident and a 15-year-old were arrested Wednesday evening following an incident that began as an Orbeez toy gun prank near SW Morelia Lane and SW Acapulco Terrace. Gregory Allen Davis and his fiancée called 911 after what they believed to be shots from a BB or pellet gun struck their vehicle while they were driving. The couple then began following the vehicle suspected of firing at them as Port St. Lucie police deployed their first responder drone to the scene. While his fiancée remained on the phone with the dispatcher, Davis exited his vehicle and approached the teens, shouting orders for them to exit their vehicle, actions captured on witness video. Davis, who was armed with a 9mm handgun, then ordered the teens to the ground at gunpoint. Officers arrived moments later.
Upon arrival, officers discovered that the teens had been using an Orbeez toy gun in what was meant to be a harmless game. The three teenagers told police they believed the vehicle they targeted belonged to a friend. According to the Port St. Lucie Police Department, investigators reviewed the circumstances and determined that Davis "had multiple opportunities to safely disengage while officers were actively responding" to the scene.
Davis faced charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and false imprisonment of a child to commit aggravated abuse. The 15-year-old was charged with shooting or throwing a missile at or into an occupied vehicle. Both witness video and police body camera footage documented portions of the confrontation.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department used the incident to issue a broader warning to the community about the dangers of toy firearm pranks. "This incident serves as an important reminder: Pranks involving Orbeez guns, airsoft guns, BB guns, or other toy firearms are not harmless," the department stated. "They can create fear, provoke dangerous reactions, and result in criminal charges." The warning underscores how situations involving imitation firearms can quickly escalate and lead to serious legal consequences for all parties involved, regardless of the original intent behind the prank.