‘Senior assassin game’ led to suburban school lockdown, police warn

A high school prank sparked a brief lockdown this week at an elementary school in West Dundee, police said, and led to an 18-year-old high school student being criminal charged.

Police said it’s all linked to the so-called “senior assassin game,” a high school prank in which seniors attempt to eliminate their targets using a water gun.

Some parents who witnessed the incident on Tuesday said the prank has gone way too far.

“I get it’s a senior thing,” said one parent, who asked us not to show her face on camera. “In today’s world, bringing any type of weapon, fake or not, you can’t do that near a school, around a school, anywhere. It’s so scary, and it’s not to play games with at all.”

Police said several people called 911 and reported seeing a man armed with a gun in the pickup line at Dundee Highlands Elementary School. Witnesses said he got into an argument with someone in parked car then left, causing panic and fear among parents waiting to pick up their children.

Officers rushed to the scene to investigate and learned the incident was connected to the so-called senior assassin game.

“When the activity is intended to be fun [but] causes so much chaos for other people and there are so many serious dire negative implications, you have to find a better, more constructive way to have fun,” said West Dundee Police Department Chief Shawn Green.

The police chief described this senior prank as dangerous and reckless and told NBC Chicago the water gun used in this case resembled a semi-automatic rifle.

“People should not make the assumption just because it’s a different color that police or bystanders for that matter would think, ‘OK, that’s just a toy,'” he said. “Because other than the color it looked exactly like an M4 rifle.”

Police said an 18-year-old student at Jacobs High School was criminally charged with disorderly conduct. Community School District 300 declined to comment citing the ongoing investigation.

Meanwhile, police are urging parents to speak with their children about the dangers and consequences of this so called game.

“When I was in high school, our senior ditch day was going to Great America, so I don’t know why they have to take it this far to something this dumb,” said one parent.