Calistoga police are sounding the alarm over a graduation-season tradition that has seniors stalking each other with toy guns and police worrying it could end very badly in the real world.
The game, called "Senior Assassins," has high school seniors trying to "eliminate" assigned targets using toy weapons such as water pistols and Nerf blasters. Harmless fun on paper, police say, but a potential nightmare when those imitation guns are seen in neighborhoods or near schools and mistaken for the real thing, triggering high‑risk law enforcement responses.
In a recent advisory, the Calistoga Police Department urged families to hit pause or at least dial back the game, stressing that imitation firearms are hard to distinguish from actual weapons during a live 911 call, Chief Matthew McCaffrey told the Napa Valley Register. Officers have to assume reported guns are real, the department said, which can lead to high‑risk traffic stops, drawn weapons and a major drain on already limited public safety resources.
Calistoga police said they received one or two reports related to the game in April and May 2025 but none so far this year. Even so, officials warned that if someone gets hurt or property is damaged, parents could end up on the hook financially.
The department is coordinating with the Calistoga Joint Unified School District, and the school resource officer has already met with seniors to spell out the risks, according to Patch. Police reminded students that imitation guns are banned on campus and urged them to avoid trespassing or playing anywhere crowded, like parks or busy streets. Parents, they added, should start frank conversations with their teens about safer ways to celebrate the end of the school year.
Why Officers Are Sounding The Alarm
Calistoga is not alone. Police agencies across the country have been issuing similar warnings as "Senior Assassins" has led to some genuinely scary encounters between players, neighbors and armed residents.
In one widely reported case, an off‑duty Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent shot and wounded a student playing the game on Feb. 12, 2025, after seeing teens outside a home, the Miami Herald reported. The student survived, but the incident underscored how quickly a prank can look like a real threat.
In Portage, Indiana, an 18‑year‑old was charged with felony intimidation after someone mistook the water gun he was carrying outside a Planet Fitness for a firearm, ABC7 reported.
Closer to home, multiple Bay Area departments, including Fremont, have pushed out their own advisories this spring, urging students to ditch realistic replicas and keep any play away from streets and school property, according to KTVU.
What Parents And Students Should Do
Calistoga police and school officials are not trying to cancel senior year, but they are drawing a pretty clear line on how and where this game gets played.
They recommend moving any version of "Senior Assassins" off public property, swapping in brightly colored toys that cannot be mistaken for real firearms and calling it a night before dark. Officers warned that displaying anything that looks like a gun can lead police to stop, cite or even arrest the person holding it and that parents could face civil liability for injuries or property damage, according to the Napa Valley Register.
Legal Implications
Law enforcement officials also point out that it is not just the fake guns that cause problems. Trespassing, reckless driving and other illegal behavior tied to the game can bring real criminal charges.
The Portage case is the cautionary tale everyone keeps pointing to: what started as a prank outside a gym turned into a felony intimidation charge, ABC7 reported. On top of that, families could face civil claims for property damage or medical bills if someone gets hurt, according to Patch.
Calistoga police say they will keep a close eye on reports as seniors head toward graduation and are urging anyone who sees suspicious activity that might involve weapons to call 911. For now, officers say the safest bet for seniors is to keep the celebrations visible, legal and clearly harmless so no one has to guess what is a game and what is not.
