Police are warning parents of a “potentially deadly situation” after a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) agent mistakenly shot a high school football player while the student was playing the popular “Senior Assassin” game.
The off-duty FDLE agent encountered three individuals “prowling” outside the agent’s Nassau County home early Wednesday morning, in what was actually a game of “Senior Assassin,” authorities said in a release.
The game consists of teams using toy guns to “shoot” each other to eliminate players until the remaining team wins.
The agent mistook the teens for home invaders and shot the 18-year-old student in the arm.
“These types of games may seem innocent, but when you have young people sneaking around in the dark wearing masks and carrying objects that could be mistaken for weapons, you’re creating a potentially deadly situation,” Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said during a press conference.
The teen was taken to University of Florida Health with non-life-threatening injuries and is scheduled to undergo surgery for a broken arm. FDLE, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of the State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit are conducting an internal investigation regarding the incident.
Authorities across the country are now issuing a warning to parents about the dangers that come from playing these types of games.
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The game is rapidly gaining popularity among high school students across northern Florida and throughout the country, according to State Attorney Melissa Nelson. Law enforcement officers have tied the game to incidents such as reckless driving and trespassing on private property, and are asking parents and elected officials to discourage kids from playing.
“We ask for your help in shutting the game down,” Nelson said in a press conference on Thursday.
Players carry fake guns – such as water pistols – while concealing their identities and running through areas and hiding in obscure places. Authorities stress that the very nature of the game can result in tragedy and warn that players risk criminal charges.
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“Across the country, there have been tragedies and near-tragedies that have occurred as a result,” Nelson said. “In one instance, a teen player was paralyzed when the father of a [player] shot him, mistaking the game for a criminal assault.”
In 2024, a group of high school students walked into an Illinois restaurant carrying water pistols disguised as firearms and wearing ski masks, seeking out fellow teenagers involved in the game, according to police.
A restaurant patron carrying a concealed weapon mistook the students for a legitimate threat, but no one was harmed.
“[We] would like to emphasize that the depiction of firearms, whether real or imitation, in any public setting, is a matter of concern and may instill fear among the public,” the Gurnee Police Department said in a statement. “We urge community members to reconsider their participation in such activities and recognize the seriousness of their actions.”
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters told Fox News Digital that he hopes that parents bridge the gap and speak to their children about this issue – and the dangers of the so-called “game.”
“The teenage mindset is that it will never happen to me. I’ll be just fine. I can play this game; nothing is ever going to happen to me. Unfortunately, we saw what happened in Nassau County yesterday. We do not want young people NOT to have fun. That is not our goal here. The goal is to make sure everyone is safe,” he said. “We would ask that you seriously re-evaluate what you’re doing and find another way to have fun.”
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office referred Fox News Digital to their initial release on the incident.
