Police have issued a stark warning after a 17-year-old in Atlanta was arrested and charged when a “viral” game involving a toy rifle was mistaken for a real weapon.
Officers in Cobb County say they were driving when they spotted a teenager appearing to point what looked like a gun out of a vehicle window.
Police later determined the teen was participating in the popular “Senior Assassin” game.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the item was a black Orbeez toy rifle fitted with a drum magazine — an appearance that officers said closely resembled a real firearm.
The 17-year-old was taken into custody and charged with reckless conduct, and the outlet reported that everyone inside the vehicle was also detained while police investigated.
After the incident, the Cobb County Police Department urged parents and teens to take the risks seriously.
“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.”
The warning follows similar incidents elsewhere. Earlier this month, police in Stoneham, Massachusetts, responded to reports of an armed person outside a home after residents believed someone was pointing a rifle from a car window, seemingly waiting to ambush someone. Officers later found it was a water gun being used as part of the same game.
Video obtained by Inside Edition showed officers ordering the teen to lie on his back on the sidewalk.
“It’s a Senior Assassin water gun,” he tells the cops.
A former NYPD detective also shared a cautionary message through 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.”
Players have also been cautioned about using water guns and toy blasters that resemble real firearms, particularly in public spaces or around vehicles.
The game has spread widely on TikTok and even has a dedicated app that helps participants track progress.
Typically, players are paired up and assigned a specific duo to locate and “eliminate” from the game.
Using the app, participants can view a target’s location, but they don’t know who other players have been assigned, which adds to the suspense.
Games can run for days or weeks, with the last remaining players declared winners.
While many see it as harmless entertainment, multiple law enforcement agencies in the US and Canada have issued warnings similar to Cobb County’s, emphasizing how quickly toy weapons can be misidentified as real.
Police have also raised concerns about gameplay involving vehicles, noting that some players may take risks on the road in an effort to reach targets.