Police across the country are warning their communities this week about a viral internet game called senior assassin that’s been spreading like wildfire among high school students on TikTok.
Police in Gurnee, Illinois responded to an incident Tuesday after a group of high school seniors wearing ski masks descended on a restaurant with water guns that looked like real firearms.
According to the Gurnee Police Department, the students were targeting other students who were eating at the restaurant with the water guns.
An employee at the Point Pancake House told local news ABC7 that a concealed carry license-holder was in the restaurant at the time and mistook the situation for a genuine threat.
“It’s my understanding that he was in the process of pulling out the weapon, and it was displayed,” said Gurnee Det. Shawn Gaylor.
Luckily nobody was injured, but police fear that the situation could have ended very differently.
In another Chicago suburb, the senior assassin game caused a treacherous rollover crash. Once again, nobody was injured, but police have issued warnings in several communities across the U.S. now that the senior assassin craze has gone viral on social media.
As high school seniors enter their final stretch of the semester, many across the country are taking part in the internet challenge. While it’s meant to be harmless, several incidents have turned chaotic in cities across the country, and subsequently have police departments on high alert.
According to social media posts explaining the senior assassin game, students separate into teams and target each other with water guns, most often in public places. Each player is assigned a “target” person they must “tag” to “eliminate,” and they have to post their “hit” on social media to confirm.
The rules of the game vary by location. In some cases, rules say that the game cannot be played during school hours or on school property.
