MENDON, Mass. (WLNE) — The Mendon Police Department warned the public about the potential dangers associated with a popular “rite of passage” for high school seniors.
According to police, they responded to a call in a residential area for a report of a person with a gun.
Through the course of their investigation, police said the object the person was holding wasn’t a real gun, but a water gun instead.
They said the person said they were playing a game called “senior assassin,” a game where students spray each other with water-guns to eliminate others from the game.
“Thankfully our responding Officers had previous knowledge of such activity and were able to quickly ascertain that this was a game and that the perceived firearm was a water-gun,” the department said.
Authorities further warned that even the perception of a gun, whether a toy or replica, can create havoc that could result in a police response.
“While this may be a harmless rite of passage, placing someone in fear of being assaulted by a possible firearm is a felony,” the department said.
A similar incident was reported by Kingston police back in April after a 911 call reported a person with a suspected gun near a school. That gun was also found to be a water gun.
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