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Germantown incident highlights dangers of 'Senior Assassin' game
A popular high school game known as Senior Assassin is drawing safety concerns after Germantown police mistook students for suspects and Twin Lakes issued a warning.
GERMANTOWN, Wis. - A popular high school tradition known as "Senior Assassin" is making a comeback, but this year it’s drawing concern from law enforcement after a misunderstanding in Germantown.
What we know:
Police say four high school students dressed in dark clothing were mistaken for armed suspects, prompting a response captured on body camera video.
Officers later determined the students were playing the game, which involves using Nerf or water guns to "eliminate" classmates.
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What’s meant to be a harmless end-of-year activity is now under closer watch, especially when played at night or in ways that could be mistaken for a real threat.
What they're saying:
In Twin Lakes, Sgt. Heather Giovannoni said things have remained calm, but the department issued a warning online to alert concerned residents.
"They are supposed to be using water guns that are clearly water guns. Nothing can resemble a gun or anything like that," Giovannoni said. "We don’t want homeowners to be frightened because they see kids out with what they believe is a weapon. We want it to be very well known. This is a water gun. This is a fun prank and we’re also respecting people’s privacy and their personal property."
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Germantown police say no citations were issued in the incident caught on body camera.
Big picture view:
Both Germantown and Twin Lakes police say they want parents to be aware of the game as well and to educate their children on the dangers, warning that situations like this can quickly become dangerous.
The Source: FOX6 News obtained bodycam footage from the Germantown Police Department.