Latest news with #SeniorAssassin
Toronto Star
4 days ago
- Toronto Star
Laptops damaged and kids burned: A Toronto school board warns of ‘dangerous' social media challenges
Toronto's Catholic school board is warning parents about several 'dangerous' social media trends that have left students with burns, laptops overheated and electrical outlets damaged. On Friday, the board notified parents about the Paperclip, Chromebook and Senior Assassin challenges that are popular among teens and trending across Ontario schools. Kids make videos participating in the challenges, post them online, and encourage others to follow suit — and that has officials sounding the alarm.
Calgary Herald
23-05-2025
- Calgary Herald
Gun complaint at Strathmore High School turned out to be a water pistol in grad prank
Article content A student at Strathmore High School landed in some hot water Friday after their senior prank resulted in a visit from RCMP officers. Article content Article content A press release from the Strathmore RCMP detachment confirmed officers responded to a complaint of a suspect with a firearm at Strathmore High School. Based on the information provided, RCMP said they advised the school and other buildings in the area to initiate lockdown procedures. Article content Article content However, RCMP said the investigation revealed there was never a threat to anyone, as the suspect was in fact carrying a water pistol, as part of a high-school game that has been spreading across the country. Article content Article content The 'Senior Assassin' game, which sees high-schoolers seek each other out with water guns, has prompted warnings from police forces in other Canadian cities, including a PSA from the Calgary Police Service earlier this month. Article content 'Although an innocent game, RCMP is reminding those partaking, please be mindful that someone witnessing this or driving by could perceive a water gun to be a real firearm,' Strathmore RCMP said in its release, adding the student was taken into custody 'without incident.' Article content Cpl. Gina Slaney, a media relations officer for Alberta RCMP, said the game itself is harmless, but can have serious repercussions, as evidenced by the incident in Strathmore. Article content Article content 'Somebody driving by and seeing someone in the parking lot of a business with what is a water gun but potentially look like a real gun, that can cause issues,' she said. 'That's what happened today – somebody saw what they thought was a real firearm on school property, called into the RCMP and we of course have a very serious response to a call like that.' Article content The London Police Service in Ontario issued a news release in April encouraging parents to speak to their kids about the potential risks and consequences of having an imitation firearm in their possession. Article content 'Some of the toy guns we have located on the youth playing the game have been very realistic and resembled real firearms,' said Insp. Pete Testa, with the London Police Service. 'Our officers respond to firearm-related calls that involve the use of both real and imitation firearms, as such they treat every call as though the gun is real.
CTV News
23-05-2025
- CTV News
‘Senior Assassin' water gun trend leads to lockdown at Alberta high school
A popular online trend led to a gun complaint and lockdown at a southern Alberta high school on Friday. Strathmore RCMP responded to a complaint of a suspect with a gun at Strathmore High School just before noon. RCMP told the school and other buildings in the area to initiate lockdown procedures. Police learned, after initial investigation, that there was never a threat to anyone, and the suspect was carrying a water gun. RCMP said they were participating in the 'Senior Assassin' game, which has become a popular trend among graduating students across Canada. 'Although an innocent game, RCMP is reminding those partaking, please be mindful that someone witnessing this or driving by could perceive a water gun to be a real firearm. Please be cautious and safe,' RCMP said in a news release. The online trend has recently been making headlines across Canada for all the wrong reasons. The Calgary Police Service issued a warning about the trend last week, saying it's only a matter of time before a major incident occurs, with water guns getting confused for the real thing. The live-action game is typically played by senior high school students and involves players eliminating 'targets' during a set time period using water guns, spray bottles or other methods.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
The Viral ‘Senior Assassin' Game Comes With Some Risks: Here's What Parents Need To Know
Playing with toy guns in this day and age is like playing with fire — just look at the tragic death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was shot by police when they thought the BB gun he was playing with at a park was real. Yet, teens and tweens around the country are playing with water games in a viral 'Senior Assassin' game that has already caused serious harm to a student in my home state of Texas. The 'Senior Assassin' game works like this: high school seniors will go around neighborhoods, parking lots of other stores, and public parks with water guns. I've even seen teens walking around a local outdoor mall playing amid the strollers and families shopping. The teens will try to shoot other high school students to eliminate them from the game. They keep track of each other's locations via the Splashin App. It's become so popular in recent weeks, that even kids in other grades have started playing with their friends. More from SheKnows Graduation Season Hits Different When It's Your Baby Wearing the Cap & Gown It seems innocent enough (albeit annoying if you get caught in the crosshairs), but it can be dangerous too. One 17-year-old student named Isaac Leal, a senior at South Grand Prairie High School in Dallas-Fort Worth, was hospitalized after playing the game with his friends on April 20, per NBCDFW. Police told the outlet that Leal climbed in the back of another student's Jeep Wrangler while the driver drove. As the Jeep drove, the car hit a dip and Leal fell off, where he was taken to the hospital. Police and the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office found no evidence of criminal offense, driving recklessly, or intentionally trying to harm Leal. Leal is reportedly on life support after suffering a head injury after the fall, according to KTVT, per USA Today. Isaac Leal's father, Jose Leal, told the local outlet that he believes what happened 'was not an accident' and is calling for further investigation. 'I have not been able to go home because I can't imagine going home without him,' he said. The game has caused other incidents across the country. Last week, a medical building in Guilford, Connecticut, went into lockdown mode after police received a call that a man was running around with a gun, per Patch. It ended up being a student playing 'Senior Assassin' with a water gun that was designed to look like a real Glock. The Guilford Deputy Police Chief Martina Jakober warns teens to play the game outside of school hours, not on school grounds or private property, and with an obvious water gun that is brightly colored, so it won't be confused with a real gun. 'It is imperative that parents and guardians speak with their seniors about the potential outcomes of their actions when playing this game,' the police said in a statement. 'Students should also be mindful that they could face arrest if the level of their actions rises to a crime.' The Splashin App was designed to create more safety and structure around this game. 'Senior Assassin, a long-standing high school tradition since the 1980s, has often lacked structure,' the app states on its website. 'Each year players had to reinvent the rules, safety, and gameplay management. Splashin changes this by empowering schools, administrators, and players with tools and sensible, baseline rules to help organize safe and responsible gameplay.' They added, 'With Splashin, schools have the ability to create games, manage players, and enforce rules and safety standards. These tools have allowed schools and parents to engage with their students – enabling them to play safely and responsibly.' Of course, getting teens to listen to these rules is another battle. But spreading awareness about this game and how teens can play more safely, like with colorful water guns and in public places, can help lower the risk of of SheKnows 19 Celebrity Stepparents Who Have a Tight Bond With Their Stepkids I'm 29 Weeks Pregnant, & Comfortable Sandals Are a *Must* This Summer—These Are the Best Ones on the Market Recent Baby & Toddler Product Recalls Every Parent and Caregiver Should Know About
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
Sniper rifles, not books: Senior Assassin video game gives Canada sleepless nights
A newly released violent video game, 'Senior Assassin', has surged into the Canadian spotlight, triggering alarm among lawmakers and law enforcement about its potential role in encouraging gun culture and aggressive behavior. This digital unease is now playing out in the real world in cities like Calgary, where police are voicing fears about an escalating trend among teenagers playing the live-action 'Senior Assassin' game. Also read: Virginia teenager shot dead after TikTok prank mistakenly assumed as break-in attempt by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo As policymakers reignite the long-running debate over how gaming culture intersects with real-world violence, many are pointing to the troubling normalization of weapons and combat-style thinking. Critics say the game reflects a growing trend in digital entertainment that blurs the line between fantasy and violence and may even influence how young people engage with risk and authority. Calgary Police fear it's 'a matter of time' before teen game ends in crisis Live Events Calgary authorities are sounding the alarm over 'Senior Assassin,' a viral game among graduating high school students that mimics tactical elimination, but with water guns and app-tracked targets. While it may sound like innocent fun, police say the implications are far from harmless. 'It's just a matter of time,' warns Insp. Colleen Bowers of the Calgary Police Service 's Youth Services section. 'The concern is that these kids are carrying replica guns that look real. And when a bystander or officer sees that, the situation can go south very fast.' Across Canada, the game has already triggered disturbing incidents. In Guelph, Ontario, a school was thrown into lockdown and a teenager was arrested at gunpoint after reports of students carrying a firearm—which turned out to be a water gun painted black. So far, Calgary has avoided such emergencies, but with the game gaining momentum, police fear a potentially tragic encounter is inevitable. Both the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School District have acknowledged the game's presence and say they're working with police and school principals to discourage unsafe behavior. Replica weapons remain banned on school grounds, but the game's growing reach is hard to contain—especially since it's driven by a mobile app that assigns targets and uses real-time location data. Also read: Nashville School shooting: Teen opens fire on female student, then turns gun to himself | Trump 2.0 That digital component is especially concerning, say police, who urge parents to have open conversations with their kids about online privacy and physical safety. 'Sharing your live location to an app—especially when you don't know who's collecting that data—is a huge risk,' said Bowers. 'Add that to the presence of replica guns, and it becomes a recipe for disaster.' As concerns mount over both digital and real-life violence, Canadian officials are left grappling with a much larger question: Are we paying enough attention to how media, entertainment, and technology are shaping our behaviors? In a climate where 'games' increasingly mimic combat and surveillance, that answer feels more urgent than ever. FAQ: Understanding the 'Senior Assassin' Game 1. What is 'Senior Assassin'? 'Senior Assassin' is a real-world, tag-style elimination game typically played by high school seniors. Players are assigned a target and must 'eliminate' them using non-lethal methods, usually water guns, spray bottles, or foam darts. 2. How do players get their targets? Most games are managed through a mobile app or group chat. Players receive a randomly assigned target and are also being hunted by someone else. Once a target is eliminated, the player inherits their target. 3. Where is the game played? The game is usually played off school property, in public or private spaces like neighborhoods, parks, or malls. Schools typically prohibit gameplay during class hours or on school grounds. 4. What are the rules of the game? Rules vary by group, but common rules include: No eliminations on school property No violence or physical contact Only specific tools like water guns allowed Safe zones like homes, schools, or workplaces Proof (usually via video) is required to confirm an elimination 5. Why is the game controversial? Because some players use realistic-looking toy guns, the game can cause panic. There have been police responses, lockdowns, and even arrests when the game was mistaken for a real threat. 6. Is it legal to play 'Senior Assassin'? The game itself isn't illegal, but using or brandishing replica weapons in public can lead to serious legal consequences, including arrest, especially if someone feels threatened or if police intervene.
