LAKEVILLE, Minn. - The parents of two Lakeville High School students who died in a 2015 crash while playing "Nerf Wars" are suing the school district, claiming they should've known about the game and done something to stop it.
Jake Flynn and Johnny Price died in early December of 2015 when they were thrown from a pickup truck while playing Nerf Wars. The game allegedly started at Lakeville High School, according to authorities.
In the lawsuit, which was filed Feb. 16, the parents claim twitter accounts were started by students at the school two years prior to Flynn and Price's deaths. They say those twitter accounts were followed by students, teachers and staff.
In addition, they cite articles posted in the Lakeville South High School student newspaper about the growing popularity of the game at the school.
In October of 2015, a high school activities director sent an email to other staff members regarding their growing concerns about Nerf Wars to help raise awareness of the safety issues it posed to students.
The lawsuit claims these are just a few examples of the school district's knowledge of the game -- but also shows no action was taken to stop it from continuing or to ensure the safety of its students.
The families say in the suit they have suffered and will continue to suffer as a result of their wrongful death. They are asking for more than $250,000 in damages.
Statement of Lakeville Schools:
“Lakeville Schools are part of the fabric of the Lakeville community and we continue to grieve for the loss of Jacob Flynn and John Price. However, the auto accident that claimed Jacob and John was in no way connected to a sanctioned or supported school activity, in fact the single car accident was over two miles away from the school after school was over for the week. Therefore there is no liability or fault on behalf of Lakeville Schools.“
