UGA football player arrested after shooting students with “splatter” gun, police say

ATHENS, Ga. — A University of Georgia football player has been arrested after police say he shot two students with a “splatter” pellet gun on campus.

Police said the incident happened on a sidewalk outside Busbee Hall and a campus parking garage around 5:30 p.m. on April 6.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Police said the victims were walking on the sidewalk when a driver shot at them with what they believed to be a BB gun and sped off.

One girl was shot in the left side of her rib cage and another near her sternum.

TRENDING STORIES:

• S.C. death row prisoner will get to choose between electric chair and firing squad
• Metro Atlanta EMT charged with over 20 counts of child abuse
• Man shot, killed inside Range Rover near popular Midtown clubs

Police pulled video footage form the area to track the car down. It was found two hours later at a nearby apartment complex. Police determined the car was owned by Warren Brinson.

Brinson is listed on the UGA Bulldogs roster as junior defensive tackle from Savannah.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Brinson admitted that he shot a pellet gun at the victims, but said that he thought he was shooting at someone he knew. The gun was loaded with gel pellet ammunition.

Brinson was charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple battery and three misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct. He turned himself in to police.

Channel 2 Action News reached out to officials with the University of Georgia athletics department, who said they had no comment.

This is one of several instances of people being shot with splatter guns in metro Atlanta recently. A viral TikTok challenge knowns as the “Orbeez Challenge” is encouraging people to shoot the guns at strangers.

Police in Peachtree City warned that shooters who fire the guns at people can face serious charges after a group of juveniles left two young boys injured last month.

Police say child surrounded by teens with splatter guns, shot as he rode his bike

©2022 Cox Media Group