Police issue serious warning after teen playing 'Senior Assassin' game gets arrested and charged
Kiesha Dosanjh
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/InsideEdition
A serious warning has been issued by police, after a teen playing a game with a toy rifle in Atlanta was arrested and charged.
Cobb County police officers were driving along when they noticed a teen pointing what looked like a gun outside of a window.
However, it was later discovered that the teen was taking part in 'viral' game, Senior Assassin.
The 'weapon' was a black orbeez toy rifle equipped with a drum magazine, Fox 5 Atlanta reports, which looked like a real fire arm.
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The 17-year-old was taken into custody and charged with reckless conduct, and the outlet also reports that police detained everyone in the car.
Following the events, The Cobb County Police Department released a warning to families and teenagers.
"We understand games like ‘senior assassin’ have become popular, but this serves as an important reminder: pointing realistic-looking weapons at people or from vehicles is not harmless," they said in a statement.
"Officers responding to these calls, other drivers, or members of the public have no way of knowing whether what they are seeing is real or fake. A game is not worth someone getting seriously injured or killed."
It's not the first time this has happened. Earlier this month, it was reported police rushed to a report of an armed suspect waiting outside a house in Stoneham, Massachusetts. Frightened residents believed that the teen was pointing a rifle out a car window, waiting to ambush. However, when police got closer to the man, they realised the teen was holding a water gun - as part of the game.
In footage obtained by Inside Edition, police could be seen telling the man to lie on his back on the sidewalk.
“It’s a Senior Assassin water gun,” he tells the cops.
A former NYPD detective also warned players, via Inside Edition: “Don’t assume that law enforcement knows it’s a toy. And if you do get approached by the police, comply and put the weapon down."
Those who have water guns that look like actual weapons have also been warned.
The viral game, which has taken TikTok by storm, and even has its own app.
During the game, players are assigned partners, and are given a duo to find, and eventually eliminate.
Using the app, players can see their target’s locations. However, the catch is that players are unsure on targets other players have been given.
It can go on for days, or even weeks. The last players standing are the winners.
Despite it seeming harmless fun, a number of police forces in the US and Canada have issued a similar warning to The Cobb County Police Department.
Elsewhere, it’s also been noted that those playing in a car may pull off dangerous maneuvers in an attempt to get to their targets.