Dublin Leaders Warn Against 'Assassin' Game

DUBLIN, CA — Dublin officials are warning parents and students about the game “Assassin,” in which senior students are assigned “targets” to assassinate using a toy Nerf-type gun that fires foam darts. After several weeks of play, the winner is the last person standing.

The City of Dublin, the Dublin Police Services, and the Dublin Unified School District said in a joint statement that they do not approve or sanction the game and the activity is of “significant concern” due to the risky behaviors it can encourage, including:

• Painting or disguising weapons to make them look more realistic.
• Reaching for concealed weapons in public places.
• Lying in wait behind bushes, trash cans, vehicles, or fences.
• Trespassing and hiding in other people’s’ properties, often late at night.
• Waiting for a target while dressed in all black or camouflaged clothing.
• Reckless driving to avoid being targeted.
• Stalking or hunting targets.
• Jumping out of moving vehicles to attack or flee.
• Conducting a “drive-by” shooting of a target in a public lot or street.

These activities may appear like actual violent crime to outside observers unfamiliar with the activity, resulting in numerous calls to police that waste time and manpower. Police warn that startled homeowners may react violently to a perceived threat. If an officer or another person is injured during the response to the incident, the people involved, including parents of an involved minor, could be held liable, police said.

Students will also face disciplinary action if any weapons, including imitation weapons, are brought on school campuses, or if evidence is discovered that the game is being played at school, the release said.