A late-night senior prank in Davison Township came frighteningly close to tragedy, as newly released body-camera video shows an officer nearly firing at a high school student who jumped out and sprayed him with a squirt gun. In the clip, the officer reacts by drawing his firearm before realizing the weapon is a toy. The teen quickly apologizes, and the officer tells him, "You are a very lucky guy." Davison Township Police released the footage after the officer responded to a report of suspicious activity, ran the license plate on an unattended car and walked into a yard to investigate, according to MyFox28 Columbus. The video shows the student suddenly jump out and douse the officer with a water gun before the officer holsters his firearm once he realizes there is no real threat.
Davison Community Schools told parents it was thankful the officer determined the teen was not a threat and warned that the water wars game can escalate far beyond what students intend, according to a message shared with local media. Superintendent Matt Lobban urged families to talk with seniors about the risks and to stop playing the game altogether, the district said, per WNEM.
Police Say 'Water Wars' Is Not All Fun and Games
Law-enforcement agencies across Southeast Michigan have been sounding the alarm this spring after similar senior-prank games left residents spooked and triggered 911 calls. CBS Detroit has reported on multiple departments reminding students that toy guns can look alarmingly realistic from a distance and urging them to stick to neon-colored, clearly fake squirt guns and daylight play to cut down on dangerous misunderstandings.
What Chief Rendon Urged
Davison Township Police Chief Jay Rendon told reporters the video should serve as a wake-up call and noted that officers had only "milliseconds" to decide how to respond during the encounter. Rendon urged students not to play at night, to use large, brightly colored water guns and, if possible, to organize a single planned event where officers know the game is happening, according to WNEM.
Advice for Parents and Players
Officials have told parents to stress safety, avoid trespassing and keep the games in public spaces so they are less likely to spark panic or an armed response. Other Michigan outlets have tracked departments from Northville to Hazel Park issuing similar warnings this spring, as WXYZ Detroit documents.
