Senior 'Assassin' Water-Gun Game Warning

Arlington Heights police are warning that the annual “Senior Assassin” water-gun game can trigger disorderly-conduct complaints if students alarm residents or trespass. (patch.com) Patch reported the Arlington Heights Police Department posted the warning on Friday, April 17, 2026, as local high school seniors began the spring game. In the game, students try to “eliminate” one another with water guns while avoiding being tagged themselves. (patch.com) Police said the game itself does not violate state law or a village ordinance, and the usual rules bar play during school hours or on school property. Officers said players often look for targets at homes, parks and other gathering places, sometimes hiding in yards or approaching on foot or by car. (patch.com) The warning turns on how the game looks to everyone else. Arlington Heights police said a resident who sees someone running with a realistic-looking squirt gun may read it as a real threat, not a prank. (patch.com) Police tied that concern to Illinois’ large concealed-carry population and said parents should talk with students about carrying replica-style water guns in public. The department said behavior that appears “alarming and disturbing” can fit the elements of disorderly conduct even if the game itself is not banned. (patch.com) Arlington Heights is not the only suburb issuing warnings this month. Gurnee police said on April 7 that the game had already generated 911 calls from worried residents and reports of trespassing, dangerous driving and replica guns mistaken for firearms. (nbcchicago.com) In West Dundee, police said a “Senior Assassin” incident on April 8 prompted a brief lockdown at Dundee Highlands Elementary School. NBC Chicago reported an 18-year-old Jacobs High School student was charged with disorderly conduct after witnesses reported a man with what looked like a gun in the pickup line. (nbcchicago.com) National coverage has followed similar warnings in Indiana and other states this April, as departments said seniors were using water guns, Nerf-style blasters and imitation firearms in neighborhoods and parking lots. Good Morning America reported some agencies have told students to avoid masks, dark clothing and school grounds because bystanders may not recognize the game. (goodmorningamerica.com) Arlington Heights police did not ask residents to treat every sighting as part of a prank. The department told people to call 911 to report unusual activity, while telling students to use common sense and contact police with questions before the game creates a real emergency. (patch.com)