Teens Playing 'Assassin' Game: Pleasanton Police Issue Warning

PLEASANTON, CA — Pleasanton police and school officials are warning parents about a dangerous game being played by high school students. Each year, large groups of students pay a fee into a pool, grab their foam dart guns and set out into neighborhoods to "assassinate" other game players for weeks on end.

The students stalk each other outside of school grounds, including hiding in bushes outside each other's homes waiting for them to come outside, police said. The Assassin game goes on until only one student remains and wins a hefty cash prize, according to police.

Officials encourage parents to talk to their kids about the potential consequences of participating.

"When viewed through a non-participant’s eyes, these behaviors look as though an actual threatening or violent event is unfolding. These 'assassinations' often prompt multiple calls to police who respond to what they believe is a violent incident in progress. Not only does this consume significant time and resources of emergency personnel, but it also jeopardizes the safety of our community when actual threats cannot be addressed in a timely manner. Furthermore, non-participants can feel frightened or threatened because they are not aware a game is being played. When a frightened or threatened community member feels they need to protect his or her family, a violent response to a player is quite possible."

A report of a burglary in progress in Pleasanton in 2017 turned out to be local high school students playing Assassin, police officials said. In 2014, a Tri-Valley teen crashed her car into a Livermore home while playing the game and another student was knocked unconscious by hitting his head while trying to duck into his car to escape his "assassin."

School officials also warn students that they face disciplinary action if they are discovered playing the game on campus.

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