Chatham Police Warn Public Of 'Senior Assassins' Game

CHATHAM, NJ — As the end of the school year approaches, Chatham High School seniors will begin an "Assassins" game that will soon appear in town, prompting police to issue a safety warning.

"Assassins" is a game commonly played by high school seniors near the end of the school year in which teams of students track down assigned targets and spray them with water guns.

During the event, which can last several weeks, students will dress up and go around the community looking for other students to "assassinate" with water guns.

According to the Chatham Township Police Department, the annual game began this week.

Students may camouflage themselves and seek out hiding places in order to better ambush their targets, which police say could raise red flags for other community members who are not participating in the game.

"These teams sometimes will be in disguise, masks, etc. If you have a high school senior living in your neighborhood, you may see other teenagers in your neighborhood acting suspiciously," police said.

Police clarified that the game is not sanctioned by the local police department, and Chatham Township officers encouraged parents and guardians to discuss the risks with their children.

"If you have a senior participating in this game, please make sure they always utilize good judgment, are operating their vehicles in a safe manner and more importantly are using water guns that clearly look like a water gun," police said.

One of the rules is usually that the game cannot be played during school hours or on school grounds. The majority of the action takes place at night and on weekends. Students may be seen hiding in unusual places or appearing suddenly in groups.

This game will last a couple of weeks or until there is one team standing, police said.