Police warn youth, parents against popular game involving toy guns

London police are warning parents and students about the dangers of a game involving the use of water or Nerf-style guns in public settings.

There have been several reports of youth carrying what appears to be firearms over the last week throughout the city, the London Police Service (LPS) said in a statement Monday. In all of the 9-1-1 calls to police, observers were unaware of the game called "senior assassin," which involves high school students seeking out one another with toys and fearing the person was carrying a real firearm.

"Some of the toy guns we have located on the youth playing the game have been very realistic and resembled real firearms," said Inspector Pete Testa, head of the LPS community mobilization and support branch.

London police treats every call as though the gun is real, he said.

"Calls involving any type of firearm elevate our officer's response as it creates a great concern for not only public safety, but our officer's safety as well. At the end of the day, we want to ensure that no one gets hurt."

Police are discouraging youth from participating in the game, which they said causes fear and an elevated emergency response. Youth playing the game may potentially face a number of consequences, up to and including criminal charges.

Parents are encouraged to speak to their children and educate them on the potential risks of senior assassin, police said.

CBC News has previously reported on local high school students playing they game, who said they play in the community because they aren't allowed to bring water guns to school.

Grade 12 students, like the ones at Central Secondary School in London, Ont., are saying goodbye to their school years with a game called 'senior assassin.' The goal is to eliminate other players by spraying them with water until there is only one team left standing. For an elimination to count, students must get a recording of the moment as proof.

The game is played in teams of up to six people with the goal of eliminating three "targets" in each round. One team member must still be "alive" to move on in the game. Players are allowed to wear water wings to gain immunity.

The "kills," or the elimination of players, are recorded and uploaded to the Splashin app or the eliminated player has to confess to being shot.

Kills in senior assassin are not just a free-for-all. There are "safe zones" where nobody can be eliminated, including at people's workplaces, places of worship and at home. The exception to home is if a family member gives permission for a player to come into the house to shoot their target.