Teens, suspicious behavior and mock weapons: CT officials warn of assassin games

Even though Senior Assassin, Water Wars and similar assassination-themed games have been a springtime tradition for teens in many Connecticut communities, police are stepping up warnings about the risks after a pair of incidents this week.

“Trumbull police strongly urge adults to talk with teens about the risks of this game, and make sure they understand their actions,” Trumbull’s police department wrote in a Facebook message to the town Wednesday. “We would like to remind the community that the sight of any firearm may instill fear among the public and may turn a ‘game’ into a deadly encounter.”

In the Region 10 towns of Burlington and Harwinton, the school resource officer posted a cautionary message this week saying “Participants should use their best judgment and recognize that non-participants and members of the public may be alarmed by water ambushes.”

In several communities around the state, school officials or police are calling on parents to advise their teens that what seems like a harmless game can lead to dangerous or potentially tragic consequences, especially if the players lose sight of safety.

Tuesday was an especially problematic day with the games: Police in Trumbull got a 911 call about a young man hiding in bushes with what appeared to be a pistol, and dispatched patrol officers who were able to determine the suspicious character was teenager playing Assassin and carrying a water gun.

On the same day, fear spread through an entire Old Lyme neighborhood when two heavily camouflaged teenagers were seen darting between bushes with what looked like guns, police said.

The school system rerouted some buses to avoid the area, and state troopers found two teenage brothers who were taking part in the game. That incident was so disruptive that police gave the boys a summons for breach of peace.

Nobody was hurt in either incident, but police cautioned that the nature of the game runs the risk of a bad outcome.

Assassin and its variations pit students against each other in a race to “kill” each other with mock weapons, sometimes Nerf guns but usually water pistols. Nationally, it was made semi-famous by the 1982 film T.A.G.: The Assassination Game.

Rules vary from place to place, but the game usually has young people with water guns hiding near houses or lurking in parking lots to stalk classmates in the elimination-style competition.

Each participant usually is given the name of a target, and then tries to sneak up on that person to shoot them. It has become a tradition for high school students in some Farmington Valley towns and elsewhere, and typically runs for a few days in very late April or early May.

“We don’t condone it, nor does the school. We keep an eye on it, and usually it’s pretty peaceful,” said Lt. Rodney Williams of the Avon police.

Schools typically enforce rules that prevent it happening on school grounds, so in some communities it has become fairly common to see teenagers lurking behind trees or parked cars waiting for a “target” to step out of a house or car.

In their message, Trumbull police described the local variation of the game as involving money.

“‘Senior Assassin’ is trending among high schools throughout the United States, where students sign up and pay a fee to play and are randomly assigned another player to target. The players then attempt to ‘assassinate’ their target, often through tagging them with water, and the last player wins,” police wrote.

“The Trumbull police strongly urges adults to talk with teens about the risks of this game, and make sure they understand their actions. Do not trespass on others’ property, especially while carrying what appears to be a firearm. Do not hide in people’s garages, homes, vehicles etc. Homeowners may also arm themselves after observing people on their property,” the message concluded.

Windsor Locks police issued an advisory Monday to remind the community what to expect.

“Tomorrow morning will be the start of the senior class game ‘Water Assassins.’ Basically, WLHS seniors will attempt to shoot each other with water guns, in different areas of town,” police wrote. “Just be aware that they may be hiding in the bushes or acting suspicious. Please contact WLPD if anyone encounters a WLHS student who takes this game beyond its intention, is rude to you during an interaction, or commits a crime.”

Simsbury police put out a similar advisory last week, saying “While students use brightly colored toy water guns, there have been instances of poor judgment where water guns resembling real firearms have been used.”

Chief Nicholas Boulter said Thursday that the primary concern is young people getting too excited about the game and driving unsafely, speeding, running through neighbors’ yards or doing something else dangerous or alarming to residents.