Boardman shopper reports drive-by shooting with toy gun

A woman has reported being the victim of a drive-by shooting involving a toy gun at the Shops at Boardman Park.

According to a police report, the woman told officers she was walking out of Kohl’s on New Year’s Day when someone in a small, silver Chevy fired the toy gun at her several times.

The woman claimed she was struck in the back four or five times with what police believe were beads from an Orbeez gun.

The woman wasn’t injured by the beads which are designed to expand as they absorb water.

Orbeez water beads have become the target of legal action and even legislation in recent months.

A class action lawsuit filed in federal court claims the gelatinous beads can expand up to 1,500 times their size and can cause intestinal blockages if ingested by children.

A bill has been introduced in Congress seeking a ban on marketing Orbeez beads to children.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a warning urging parents and caregivers to remove water beads from any environment with children 3 years old and younger.