Police Warn Teens Over 'Assassins' Game

Fremont police told high school seniors to stop playing “Assassins” after reports of teens carrying toy guns triggered dangerous police responses. (ktvu.com) The department said the game involves 12th-grade students using water guns and Nerf-style blasters to “target” other students, usually off campus and across the city. Fremont police posted the warning on April 18, 2026, and KTVU reported it on April 20. (ktvu.com) Police said some students have used toy guns that look real enough to alarm neighbors and officers, leading to high-risk patrol contacts and traffic stops. The department said those calls can pull officers away from actual emergencies. (ktvu.com) The warning landed in the final stretch of the school year, when “senior assassin” games often spread among graduating classes. Fremont police said the game is not limited to Fremont and shows up in other Bay Area communities and around the country. (ktvu.com) Fremont officers tied the risk to what bystanders see, not what players intend. A teen crouching near a car or house with an imitation gun can look like an armed suspect to a 911 caller or to officers arriving with limited information. (ktvu.com) The department said suspicious activity involving an item that resembles a firearm can lead to police contact, citations, or arrest. It also warned that injuries or property damage connected to the game can leave parents financially liable. (ktvu.com) Fremont police have also been putting more effort into teen outreach this year. In February, the department launched a youth-focused safety page aimed at getting students to engage with school resource officers and safety information in language designed for teens. (patch.com) The city’s police department handles a large workload in a city of 230,646 residents, with 297,302 calls for service and 330 police department employees listed on its website. Its traffic unit also handles injury collisions and enforcement on local roads, the kind of work that can be interrupted by avoidable imitation-gun calls. (fremontpolice.gov, fremontpolice.gov) The department’s message to families was direct: parents should step in, and students should stop before a spring prank turns into a felony stop or a confrontation with someone who thinks the gun is real. (ktvu.com)