Police Warn Teens Over 'Assassins' Game

Fremont police told high school seniors to stop playing “Assassins” after reports of teens using toy guns triggered risky police responses across the city. (ktvu.com) The Fremont Police Department said April 18 that the game typically involves 12th-grade students using water guns, Nerf blasters, or other toy guns to “target” classmates off campus. Officers said some students have used replicas that look realistic enough to the public and police to be mistaken for real firearms. (kron4.com) Police said those calls have already led to high-risk patrol contacts and traffic stops, and warned that the game can divert officers from actual emergencies. The department said suspicious activity tied to the game could end in police contact, citations, or arrests, depending on what officers find. (hoodline.com) “Assassins,” often called “Senior Assassin,” is a spring tradition at many U.S. high schools in which seniors try to eliminate assigned classmates with toy weapons before graduation. Police departments in several states have issued similar warnings this month after incidents tied to the game led to arrests and safety scares. (usatoday.com) In Fremont, the warning landed as seniors enter the final weeks of the school year and graduation season. Police said they are working with Fremont Unified School District as the district tries to discourage students from taking part. (hoodline.com) California law adds another risk when imitation guns are carried in public. State Penal Code Section 20170 bars openly displaying an imitation firearm in places such as streets, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, front yards, and cars, and Section 20180 sets fines starting at $100 for a first offense. (california.public.law) (justia.com) Police also warned parents about civil and criminal consequences beyond the game itself. The department said trespassing, reckless driving, injuries, property damage, or bringing imitation weapons onto school grounds could expose students to enforcement and parents to financial liability. (ktvu.com) The department’s bottom line was simple: stop playing before a toy gun encounter is treated like a real one. In Fremont, officers said that misunderstanding is enough to turn a senior prank into a police stop or an arrest. (yahoo.com)