Saratoga Police Warns Community about ‘Dangerous’ Senior HS Prank

A news release from the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office warned about a trending high school senior prank that they say could have potentially dangerous, even deadly consequences.

What is the "Senior Assassin Prank"

According to sources, the "Senior Assassin" prank is a popular but potentially dangerous game played by high school seniors.

In it, they use water guns or Nerf guns to eliminate each other by "tagging" or "assassinating" their targets. The goal is to be the last one standing and win a prize, oftentimes cash.

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Sources say that there are growing concerns over the game's safety because of the potential for misinterpretation with real firearms and the possibility of accidental injuries, a message that the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office echoed in a recent Facebook post. 

What Happened in Saratoga County?

The SCSO claims that recently, there was an incident in Malta where the Sheriff's 911 center received calls about a man with a firearm on US Route 9, and another situation in the Town of Halfmoon involving a suspicious vehicle that was being tended to by police.

According to the report, while police were alongside the vehicle, a young girl approached the police car "screaming and holding an object in her hand."

The Sheriff says that both incidents are related to the game.

Message for High School Students

The Undersheriff left a message for high school students warning them about the potential pitfalls of a prank involving fake guns.  "If you're going to participate, please exercise good judgment. Water guns may look realistic, and running towards any active police investigation can have significant unintended consequences," he said.

Across the country, police departments are issuing warnings and suggesting players use colorful or bright water guns to avoid being mistaken for armed individuals, while some schools are preventing the game from being played on school grounds or during school events.