Teens Shot At While Playing Pokémon GO

When it comes to Pokémon GO there have been as many crazy stories as there have been tales of kindness and joy from the latest AR mobile game. The concept is pretty simple, walk around with your device and catch all your favourite Pokémon. Encouraging users to explore, interact with new people and create friendships has accumulated into what can only be described as an inspiring and massively successful game. The problem being, not every story we hear is good news. The latest of many to come out is that two teens were shot while playing Pokémon GO.

The two teenagers were playing Pokémon GO from their car when a householder mistook them for burglars. In response to the perceived threat came a series of shots which hit the car. The Police were notified by the parents of the teenagers when they noticed that one of the tyres were now flat thanks to one of the bullets fired.  The teenagers believed that the shots fired were just warning shots to scare them off, they had never considered that the shots were aimed at them.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has issued a list of “best practise” guidelines for Pokémon GO players to follow to avoid being shot at or any other incident:

• Be alert at all times and stay aware of their surroundings
• Not to drive, ride a bike or skateboard while playing
• Not to trespass, or go on to private property while playing
• Be aware of “Pokestops” where players could fall victim to crime

Further advice is targeted at parents of PokémonGO players saying:

• Talk to their children about strangers and set limits on where they can go
• Be aware of third-party software apps claiming to enhance the gaming experience – because many allow access to sensitive personal data