Game Over? Why Schools, Parents, and Police Are Rethinking Senior Assassins

Senior year of high school is a very important time for many kids across the country. It’s a time that marks the beginning of a new period in their lives, and as these kids prepare to launch into this new era, whether it be entering the workforce, going to college, or joining the military, schools across the nation help to ease them into this new beginning with fun activities. One of the most prominent of these events is “Senior Assassins,” also known as “Senior Splashin’,” “Senior Water Wars,” or “Paranoia,” which consists of high school seniors going around with water guns and attempting to eliminate their targets by shooting them while also trying to not be eliminated themselves. 

Usually, winning this game comes with a cash prize, and there are variations of this game that include immunities, purge days, etc. This annual pastime, which dates back to 1980, has in fact become so popular that apps such as “Splashin” have been created, which are made entirely with the purpose of streamlining and officiating this game. However, despite the harmless and innocent appearance of Assassins, it is actually quite a controversial and contested topic, with students even being left in critical condition due to the harmful misunderstandings that can arise in the confusion of the game.

Right here in Nashua, Senior Assassins happens annually, with Instagram pages being created yearly to record the eliminations and fun moments of the activity. However, Nashua High School North does not promote this activity, and Assassins is not run by, promoted by, or involved with the school in any way. This is because of the controversies that have risen around this game. Nashua North senior Scarlett Ellspermann even said, “It’s kind of inevitable that risks are involved, like you are quite literally stalking people…”

One of the main controversies of Senior Assassins is the confusion of water guns with real firearms, which is an important issue in a country where gun violence in schools has become an unfortunately prominent problem. For example, in 2023, a school in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, was evacuated after reports of a student bringing a firearm into a sporting event inside the school arose. Eventually, it was discovered that this alleged firearm was simply a water gun. Another example of this type of confusion comes from when, in Kansas in 2024, teen Anakin Zehring fired at his target with a water gun in a Walmart parking lot. The father of the target retaliated with a real firearm and shot Zehring in the back. Zehring is now paralyzed from the waist down. 

Once again, in 2024, another example of this occurred, where two Chicago teens snuck up on the wrong person, believing it was their target. The man believed that he was being robbed, reporting that the water guns had a similar appearance to real weapons. He retaliated with a real firearm, but luckily, nobody was harmed in the incident. These types of misunderstandings are not a rare occurrence, as every year, new reports of incidents involving Senior Assassins arise. Town officials from Wilmington, Massachusetts, said this about Assassins: "The nature of the game — involving water guns, ambush-style tactics, and sometimes late-night or early-morning pursuits — can easily be mistaken by bystanders or law enforcement as a real threat, leading to potentially dangerous situations…"

The second most prominent cause of death amongst adolescents in the United States is aforementioned gun violence, but the leading cause is actually motor-vehicle incidents. Senior Assassins has also come under scrutiny due to its involvement in resulting in increased crashes and crash-related injuries. In 2024, 2 teens from Minnesota were injured while trying to shoot water guns while driving. This exact same scenario occurred that same year in Illinois. Just a few weeks ago, on May 6, 2025, a teen from Arlington, Texas, was involved in a motor vehicle accident after leaning out of the window attempting to shoot his target and was launched out of the car onto the pavement headfirst, and he is now in critical condition.

Assassins is a beloved tradition in the United States, and we can see that love here at Nashua North as well. Ellspermann also said, “I did very much enjoy [Senior Assassins], it was kind of draining at some points and coming in late to 1st block or something was rough, but overall I liked the idea of it and did have fun doing it.” 

However, the concerns about the safety of students whilst participating in Assassins is serious and needs to be taken into consideration when the rules of such games are created. Preventing the use of water guns, which look similar to real firearms, can substantially assist in preventing confusion, which could possibly lead to serious accidents. 

As a player, making sure that you don’t act foolishly and put yourself or others in harm is important to prevent this beloved and growing tradition from being banned. As Ellspermann said, “...as long as you’re safe and aware about what’s happening and what could happen, I think it’s okay… as long as you’re open and up front with anybody who’s not playing… just explaining like, "I'm here for assassins, and if you’re prepared for that, it should be fine.” Assassins is a fun way for Seniors to connect one last time before their graduation, but ensuring the safety of all players and bystanders cannot be overlooked in the heat of the game.