Updated May 4, 2024, 06:27 IST
A trend that is becoming increasingly popular among high school students in the US is drawing a frown from law enforcement. The ‘senior assassin’ trend is a mock shooting game where senior high school students use water and paintball and engage is a shootout.
(Image: Representational)
A trend that is becoming increasingly popular among high school students in the US is drawing a frown from law enforcement. The ‘senior assassin’ trend is a mock shooting game where senior high school students use water and paintball and engage in a shootout.
According to reports, students are forming a tournament-type competition of the game. There is mock combat, and students try to eliminate each other through tagging with the water or paint ball guns.
According to reports, the game is usually played in the high school playground itself, and videos showing the moment when a players is ‘hit’ are uploaded on social media, typically TikTok.
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However, the authorities are now taking action trying to clamp down on this trend and warn people about its potential pitfalls.
In Florida, a school principal sent out a message to parents via a recorded video explaining the dangers of the game. The principal also warned that anyone caught engaging in the game inside the school premises will be facing suspension.
Furthermore, in Satellite Beach, Florida, police had to issue a statement after several people witnessed one such game session and thought that the kids were carrying a real gun.
“Our officers responded to each of these 911 calls without knowledge of whether this is an incident of students just having fun or an actual crime,” Satellite Beach police said in the statement.
Virginia educators echoed the caution, informing WRC-TV that distinguishing between a toy gun and a real firearm in stressful or high-pressure circumstances can pose significant challenges.
Several suburban police departments in Chicago have issued warnings about a rising trend, as reported by WMAQ-TV. They have highlighted ‘disturbing incidents’ involving children donning ski masks and brandishing imitation weapons that bear a striking resemblance to real ones.
Other states like Pennsylvania and Michigan also saw similar reports. In fact, in Pennsylvania, parents of a teenager suffering from sickle cell disease claimed that their son died after being chased by the so-called assassins, during a session of the senior assassin game.
