St. Peter basketball team bus apparently targeted with water bead blaster

The Nicollet County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident in which a local basketball team’s bus was targeted with a water bead blaster.

The sheriff’s office received a report that two vehicles were either throwing or shooting things at a bus carrying the St. Peter boys basketball team Tuesday night just before 10:30 p.m.

The incident happened just south of Klossner on Highway 15 near the intersection of 412th St as the bus drove back to St. Peter from a game at New Ulm Public School.

According to a press release from Investigator Marc Chadderdon, one vehicle got in front of the bus to slow it down, while the second vehicle pulled up next to it and shot or threw items at the bus.  The vehicle apparently backed off, then pulled up again and did it a second time.

Nicollet County Sheriff’s deputies met the bus in St. Peter and found no damages.  Passengers told investigators it sounded like paintballs hitting the side of the bus, and it was loud.

Wednesday, investigators identified four individuals who were occupying the two vehicles involved.

Police say a SplatRball SRB-400 full auto water bead blaster was used to shoot at the bus.  Investigators describe the device as something similar to an airsoft gun, which shoots 7.5mm water bead ammunition at a rate of eight rounds per second, with a velocity of 200 ft per second.  No damages or marks were left on the bus.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.