Police Warn Teens Over 'Assassins' Game

Fremont police told high school seniors to stop playing “Assassins” after reports of teens carrying realistic-looking toy guns triggered public alarms and police stops. (ktvu.com) The game, played mostly by 12th-graders, has students using water guns, Nerf guns, or other toy guns to “target” classmates off campus around Fremont, police said. Fremont police said the activity is also played elsewhere in the Bay Area and across the country. (kron4.com) Police said the problem is not the game’s rules but how it looks to strangers and officers responding to a call. The department said some students have used toy guns that appear real enough to prompt high-risk patrol stops and traffic stops. (ktvu.com) Fremont officers said reports tied to the game can pull police away from actual emergencies. The department said every report of possible gun violence or suspicious firearm use gets a serious response. (kron4.com) The warnings in Fremont arrived as police departments in other states issued similar alerts during spring graduation season. ABC News reported that Portage, Indiana, police said an April 10 call about an armed person ended with officers detaining an 18-year-old who said he was playing “Senior Assassin.” (abcnews.com) In that Indiana case, police said 10 on-duty patrol officers, two off-duty officers, and a Porter County sheriff’s deputy responded. Officers said the apparent handgun in the teen’s vehicle turned out to be a water gun that looked real until they were only a few feet away. (abcnews.com) ABC News also reported that Portage police linked the game to earlier calls about reckless driving, road rage, and a reported carjacking. In Kenner, Louisiana, police said a resident saw six teens hiding around vehicles on April 4 and an adult at the home fired warning shots after mistaking the scene for a crime. (abcnews.com) Fremont police warned that trespassing, reckless driving, or carrying an item that resembles a firearm can lead to police contact, citations, or arrest. The department also said imitation or toy weapons are not allowed on school campuses. (kron4.com) The department said injuries or property damage tied to the game could leave parents financially liable. Fremont police said they are working with Fremont Unified School District and urged parents to talk with students before the senior tradition spills into a real emergency response. (kron4.com)