Pearland police urge students to be careful with toy gun game
Pearland police are asking high school students to be careful when they play “senior assassin,” a game involving toy guns made popular on social media.
The game is meant to be harmless, but recently police in Pearland are seeing a wave of complaints from residents who say it’s become a nuisance and a danger when played in public spaces and on roadways, according to police spokesman Chad Rogers.
The game, intended for high school seniors, is a survival contest where students try to “eliminate” targets off campus or other areas using toy guns. Often the toy of choice is an Orbeez gun, which shoots Orbeez, squishy beads that expand with water.
Police say the public’s response and the risks involved when the game is played on or near roadways is cause for concern, so the department posted a public safety announcement on its social media platforms.
According to witness accounts, said Rogers, the game had caused reckless driving in some incidences.
People were also reporting that plastic projectiles had struck bystanders and bounced off vehicles, said Rogers, although they were not the intended targets.
“These people and these vehicles were getting caught up in this game, and it’s creating unnecessary disorder,” he said.
The sound of a projectile bouncing off a vehicle can also be startling and can cause drivers to become distracted, Rogers said.
Police are urging students playing this game to use caution, be conscious of their surroundings and consider the safety of others.
Pearland police discourage the use of any toy guns on public roadways as there is a risk they can be mistaken for real firearms, which endangers lives.
Orbeez toy guns are brightly colored but have the shape and outline of a military-style firearm, and according to Rogers, that can be alarming for some people.
“When you see people running and screaming and shooting at each other, there’s no telling where your mind goes as to what’s taking place,” he said.
Facebook comments on the police department posts ranged from those who had never heard of the game to others pointing out that the game was like using Nerf guns, and that this type of game has always been a common activity for kids.
In an email, Pearland ISD stated the district is working with all its campuses to ensure that keeping safety a priority when playing “senior assassin.”
Beyond a public service announcement, police have not taken any action or apprehended students in relation to the game, according to Rogers.
“These kids are doing things kids have been doing forever,” Rogers said. “Our purpose of putting out a public safety announcement is to let the public know we know what’s going on and are encouraging people to be smarter about how they’re playing the game because it’s creating calls for service.”