Authorities charge 4 for shooting water blaster at St. Peter school bus
ST. PETER, Minn. (KEYC) — The Nicolllet County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that it has charged four individuals in connection with shooting a water bead blaster at a St. Peter school bus.
Authorities said they received a report Tuesday night of passengers in two different vehicles either throwing or shooting things at the school bus as it made its way back to St. Peter after a boys’ basketball game at New Ulm Public School.
The incident reportedly occurred in Nicollet County, near the intersection of Highway 15 and 412th Street.
A report from the sheriff’s office said that one vehicle was in front of the school bus and slowed the bus down, while a second vehicle pulled next to the bus and began to shoot or throw items at the bus. The vehicle backed off and reportedly pulled up again to do it a second time.
Nicollet County Sheriff’s deputies met the school bus in St. Peter and found no damage to the bus. Deputies proceeded to speak to passengers who were on the bus, who described the sound being similar to paintballs hitting the side of the bus and saying that it was loud.
Authorities say that a Splatball SRB-400 full auto water bead blaster was used to shoot at the bus.
A Splatball SRB-400 full auto water bead blaster is similar to an airsoft gun. It shoots 7.5 mm water bead ammunition, which is described as mini water balloons, at the rate of eight pounds per second at a velocity of 200 feet per second.
On Wednesday, investigators followed up on information of who may have been involved. Four individuals were identified and were reportedly the occupants of the two vehicles involved with the incident.
The individuals involved were identified Thursday as 18-year-old London Alexander Watson, of Hanska, 18-year-old Dylan James Sickles, of New Ulm, 18-year-old Dawson Michael Harley Sowers, of Clements, and one juvenile, whose name was not released. All four individuals have been cited for disorderly conduct, which is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
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