United States: In various suburban Chicago areas, alerts have been issued regarding a widely known game called “Senior Assassins,” which has gained popularity in schools across the nation.
Law enforcement agencies in several suburbs, including Gurnee, Bartlett, and Arlington Heights, have disseminated community notifications regarding the game, highlighting “disturbing incidents” associated with it.
In Gurnee, a cohort of high school students from a neighboring suburb entered an eatery donning ski masks and brandishing water guns resembling firearms, prompting police intervention.
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“They aimed to douse other diners with water,” authorities remarked in a bulletin, according to NBC Chicago. “A patron, licensed to carry a concealed weapon, perceived the situation as a legitimate threat, potentially escalating the scenario. The gravity of the circumstance cannot be overstated; it had the potential for dire consequences.”
Per police reports, the game entails assembling teams for a “tournament-style contest,” wherein students eliminate opponents by “tagging” them with water guns. However, the specifics of the game’s regulations vary by locality.
In Arlington Heights, law enforcement delineated the “live-action game” as a “traditional springtime event for students,” particularly seniors.
“The game guidelines stipulate that activities must not occur during school hours or on school premises. Participants endeavor to locate adversaries at diverse venues, including residences, local parks, and communal gathering spots,” authorities stated, as NBC Chicago noted.
“Students frequently conceal themselves in unconventional locations, pursue targets through yards, and materialize abruptly via vehicle or on foot.”
In Bartlett, municipal authorities cautioned that the game commences on April 14. Officials emphasized that game regulations forbid trespassing “or any unlawful conduct.” Moreover, they underscored instances where neighboring town officers, such as those in St Charles, responded to 911 calls from anxious residents reporting individuals adorned in masks or hoodies lurking around residences or suspicious vehicles traversing neighborhoods.
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“Several reports involved participants traversing lawns or brandishing water guns resembling genuine firearms (as depicted in the photographs), provoking apprehension among responding officers, who struggled to discern whether participating students were engaging in criminal acts or merely partaking in a game,” the advisory stated.
In each instance, law enforcement officials emphasized their non-endorsement of the game and voiced apprehensions to school administrators.
“The game’s premise does not contravene any statutes or local ordinances. We implore all participants to exercise caution, employ rational judgment, and acknowledge how their actions may be interpreted by community members,” articulated Arlington Heights police in their advisory.
“The inadvertent ramifications of participants traversing the community with water guns, some of which bear a resemblance to genuine firearms, could prove fatal,” it added.
Gurnee cautioned that certain incidents, particularly those occurring in public domains, might lead to disorderly conduct charges “as they frequently induce feelings of alarm and disturbance among bystanders.”
Bartlett officials urged parents to engage in discussions with their children about the game “to ensure awareness of the potential repercussions of involvement.”