Police Urge Teens To Drop 'Assassins' Game

Fremont police are telling high school seniors to stop playing “Assassins” in public after reports of teens carrying toy guns triggered dangerous police responses. (ktvu.com) The warning was published April 20 by the Fremont Police Department and repeated by Bay Area TV stations that cited the department’s statement. Police said the game is typically played by 12th-graders using water guns, Nerf blasters, or other toy guns to “target” classmates off campus around the city. (kron4.com) Police said the problem is not the game’s rules but how it looks to bystanders and officers. In Fremont’s account, some students have used toy guns that appear realistic enough to prompt 911 calls, high-risk patrol stops, and high-risk traffic stops. (ktvu.com) That warning lands in late April, when senior-class traditions usually ramp up ahead of May and June graduations. Fremont police said reports tied to the game can pull officers away from actual emergencies while they investigate what appears to be a gun call. (kron4.com) The department also tied the game to other conduct that can draw charges even if no real gun is involved. Fremont police said trespassing, reckless driving, or carrying an item that resembles a firearm can lead to contact with officers, citations, or arrest. (ktvu.com) Schools are part of the response. KRON reported that Fremont police said they are working with Fremont Unified School District and asking parents to talk with students, while also reminding teens that imitation or toy weapons are not allowed on school campuses. (kron4.com) Fremont is not the only department dealing with the game this spring. National outlets reported last week that police agencies around the country have issued similar warnings after recent arrests and emergency calls linked to “Senior Assassin,” a water-gun elimination game popular with graduating seniors. (abc10.com) One of the cases drawing attention came from Portage, Indiana, where a teen was charged after police said a water gun was mistaken for a firearm. That case has become part of the national caution from police departments that a prank between classmates can look like an armed confrontation to everyone else. (abc7chicago.com) Fremont police added one more warning aimed at families, not just students. The department said injuries or property damage tied to the game could leave parents financially liable, a reminder that a senior-year ritual can spill into police reports, medical bills, and court cases. (kron4.com)