It’s a common scenario for high school seniors around the country right now. You walk outside to your car, only to be chased by a classmate who had been waiting for hours outside of your house. You start to run but feel water hit your back… you’re out. 

This is the game known as Senior Assassin, which involves eliminating an assigned target with a water gun. Many students have a lot of fun playing, but it is not without its issues. Lincoln High School administration would not comment on the story because this is not a school-sanctioned game, and it is not permitted on campus.

How does it work?:

Seniors sign up for a fee to be part of the game. Each person receives another LHS senior as their target, who they have to spray with a water gun. They have to do this while avoiding getting shot by the person who has them. If a student fails to eliminate their target by the end of the round, they are out as well. The last senior left wins.

Throughout this game a big strategy is trying to find out who has you so you can avoid them and their friends. Much of the game is going around interrogating others to try to make other students spill on who has them as a target. 

There are many rules that players must follow:

• Your water gun cannot resemble a real gun (keep it a bright color)
• No shooting on school grounds (includes baseball field)
• No getting your target at their work
• No getting them while they are at an extracurricular activities 
• No getting them in a place of worship 
• Stay off property unless you have parent or sibling permission (sibling must be in highschool)
• No tracking device on your target’s car
• No opening peoples car doors 
• No spraying a person while they are driving.
• No violent threats

Sounds fun, what’s the problem?:

With the large pot for the winner and just the general excitement that comes along with the game, many students are willing to do anything they can to make sure they get their targets. The game basically leads to slight stalking because students follow their target, waiting outside their home, work, and activities.

Unfortunately, this fun has had tragic consequences for some high school students in other schools. Some high school students in Illinois were nearly killed while trying to get their fellow classmates out at a waffle house while wearing ski masks and carrying realistic looking water guns. A man mistook their water guns for actual firearms drew his concealed weapon, but luckily no one was hurt. In the same state, two students were also killed in a car accident while chasing after a target. These are just some of the injuries and deaths that have occurred during Senior Assassin games around the country.

Another less serious consequence is the drama that it can cause between friends. Players sometimes feel personally attacked by others because of the behavior of those in the game. There is also a sense of betrayal when people realize their friend is their attacker and it leads to fights with each other because they are trying to get you out. 

Senior Leidson Centeio acknowledged the negative aspects of this year’s game. 

“I believe the game definitely was going crazy in the beginning and some people were taking it far too seriously, but I think overall everyone just needs to realize it’s just a game and we’re meant to just have fun with it,” Centeio said.