Southborough Police are notifying the public that Algonquin’s “Senior Assassins” are on the loose again this spring.
The SPD wants to make the community aware to avoid unwarranted “suspicious behaviour” concerns and reports.
But they’re also sharing tips for students — hoping to avoid behaviour that can cause problems or safety issues.
For those unfamiliar with Senior Assassins, each year, someone in the graduating class of students organizes a contest (unsponsored by the school). Each senior that pays to sign up is given a target to shoot — with a water pistol. If they succeed in getting their target, they move on to go after their target’s target. That continues until there’s only one left standing. They collect the prize bounty.
There are rules about when and where students can and can’t take a shot.
But there is quite a bit of stalking. And I’ve heard stories about actions that have caused frights — especially involving water guns that look too real. And that’s clearly one of the SPD’s big concerns.
On Facebook they posted:
We want to let the public know that Algonquin High School seniors have kicked off their annual “Senior Assassin” game. For anyone unfamiliar with “Senior Assassin”, it is a water gun elimination game where students “tag” each other until one senior is left as the winner.
We (the Police Department) tend to become involved when neighbors or other residents notice activity that seems unusual (activity like people moving around properties at odd hours or carrying items that could be mistaken for firearms). In an attempt to avoid the 911 calls we have received in the past, we want to pass along these safety tips to our seniors and their parents:
* Choose brightly colored, toy-looking gear so there’s no confusion that what you are carrying is a water gun. Officers responding to a call may only have a quick moment to assess a situation, and anything realistic-looking could be mistaken for a real gun.
* Play only in places where you’re clearly allowed to be. Cutting through yards, apartment complexes, or restricted areas to “tag” someone can lead to trespassing issues.
*Keep the game away from roads and traffic. No one wants a fun moment to turn into a serious accident because of distractions.
* Try to keep gameplay to reasonable hours. Hanging around outside someone’s home late at night can worry neighbors who do not know about the game.
* If you’re approached by an officer, just pause, explain the game, and show the officer that what you are carrying is a water gun. Being cooperative helps everyone stay on the same page.
*** Our department members from dispatch to patrol have been advised that the game has started. Even with this notification in mind, please adhere to the above safety tips throughout the remainder of the game.
Thank you and please be safe out there!
