Police are warning about a viral 'senior assassin' game. Here's why

High school graduation season is here, which to the dismay of police departments means some senior students are gearing up for the return of a viral and controversial game dubbed "senior assassin."

The game involves students hunting opponents down and spraying them with water guns. While it seems harmless, police departments across the country have issued warnings about it, given that some students have even been arrested as they've participated in the game.

That was the case for a student in Portage, Indiana, who was arrested by local police while waiting outside a Planet Fitness gym to spray his target, the department said in a Facebook post on April 14. A 911 call sparked the incident after the caller reported seeing a man with a handgun, which police later identified as the student's water gun.

The 18-year-old student was subsequently charged with felony intimidation and transported to a county jail, police added.

As the end of the school year approaches, more authorities are cautioning safety for students choosing to play the game. Here's what we know.

What is the 'senior assassin' game?

The voluntary game "senior assassin" is usually organized and played by the seniors of a graduating high school class to celebrate the end of the year and build camaraderie. While the rules can fluctuate, each player is generally given a person they have to "eliminate" among their fellow students, according to social media posts and police department explanations.

To eliminate a target, players have to "assassinate" another designated player by spraying them with a water gun and filming the attack. The player who is sprayed is eliminated, while the other moves on to a new target. The last player standing without being sprayed wins, with prizes being anything from a student-contributed cash pot to a simple congratulations.

Restrictions are usually built into the game, including not playing on school grounds, not trespassing, and following a time period for players to eliminate their target or face elimination themselves. There are also ways to protect yourself from being eliminated, including wearing designated "safe" items like pool floaties or goggles.

The game has gained an online presence, with students vlogging their senior assassin experiences on social media platforms such as TikTok. The videos show them giving updates on how far they are into the game and bedazzling their water guns.

Videos of students participating in senior assassin have received hundreds of thousands of likes and views on social media, along with searches for senior assassin tips, strategies and funny moments.

Senior assassin game leads to arrests in Indiana, other states

While the senior assassin game is considered mostly playful, it's had real-life consequences in recent years, including the Portage, Indiana, incident.

The 18-year-old in Portage, who told CBS Chicago he was held in jail for three nights, is no exception as other parts of the country have faced similar incidents.

An elementary school in the Chicago suburbs went on a brief lockdown on April 7 after multiple 911 calls were made about a man carrying a gun in a car pickup line, which turned out to be a senior assassin player trying to eliminate a target. The student was charged with disorderly conduct, according to the West Dundee Police Department.

The game has also produced dangerous moments in previous years. A student was placed on life support in May 2025 and later died after falling off a vehicle while playing the game, USA TODAY previously reported. In 2024, a student was shot and left paralyzed by another teenager's father in Kansas while playing the game. The father was sentenced to roughly 3½ years in prison earlier this year, The Wichita Eagle reported.

Police across US warn against senior assassin game

Portage police are among many law enforcement agencies that have issued warnings against the game, especially the use of water toys or guns that resemble real weapons.

While Portage police recognized the game is now a tradition and said some students are using "brightly colored water guns that do not give the appearance of actual firearms," authorities also acknowledged previous reports of reckless driving, road rage and carjacking associated with the game.

"Unfortunately, there are outliers who have caused fear and panic to our community by their actions," the department said in its April 14 post. "It is ultimately the duty of the young adults who engage in this game to conduct themselves in a safe, lawful manner that does not cause fear and panic within our community."

Issues with the game quickly arise when the water toys look like realistic guns, and the pranks "can look disturbingly similar to real firearms," the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in Colorado said in an online warning. In Delano, California, the local police department is urging parents to talk to their students about the game and ways to play safely.

"Open conversations can help keep everyone safe and prevent situations from escalating," the department said in its post. "Let’s work together to make this a safe and positive time for our seniors."

Using good judgment, respecting private property and driving safely is also important for seniors engaging with the game, the Yorktown Police Department in Indiana said in an April 13 Facebook post.

"Remember that what feels funny to friends may look alarming to others. No game is worth someone getting hurt, causing panic, or creating a situation that puts the public on edge," the post said. "We also ask the community to keep this in mind before assuming the worst if you see teens behaving suspiciously in a way that seems unusual but not dangerous."

The department added, "We want our seniors to enjoy this season, make memories, and do so in a way that keeps everyone safe."

Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] or on X @katecperez_.