Long Valley Police Warn Public Of 'Senior Assassins' Game

LONG VALLEY, NJ — As the end of the school year approaches, the annual "Assassins" game will soon appear in town, prompting police to issue a safety warning.

"Assassins" is a game commonly played by West Morris Central 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.

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.

"It has been explained that students will often wear ski masks or other disguises as they attempt to surprise their opponents," police said.

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

"We ask parents of our seniors to please have a conversation with them to ensure they drive safely, have clearly distinguishable water guns and under no circumstances run from our officers if they encounter them," police said.

One of the rules is that the game is not allowed to be played during school hours or on school grounds. Most of the game is played at night and on the weekends. Students may be seen hiding in odd locations and potentially appearing suddenly in groups, officials said.

Some members of the community have taken to the internet to express their concerns about the game and the potential danger it could pose to students, while others have praised the police for allowing the children to have fun and "blow off steam" in a safe environment.

"The safety of our students and community as a whole remains our top priority, and we would hate to see unintended consequences for anyone involved," police said.