An off-duty police officer shot a Bishop Kenny High School student early Wednesday as the teen played a game called “Senior Assassin” with a water gun near his home, officials said.
According to Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper, the teen was lurking near the Florida Department of Law Enforcement officer’s residence with friends as they attempted to shoot each other with water guns.
The game is popular among high school seniors, where the last person to get hit with water is declared the victor.
The officer saw three teens near his Yulee home, and shot one of them in the arm.
Leeper said the gun looked real and that the incident could have ended in tragedy.
The 18-year-old is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
“While intended as a harmless senior tradition, the game has raised serious safety concerns among law enforcement officials,” Leeper said. “These types of games may seem innocent, but when young people sneak around in the dark wearing masks and carrying objects that could be mistaken for weapons, it creates a potentially deadly situation.”
Leeper urged parents to caution their children about the game.
“This incident demonstrates exactly why parents need to take this seriously and speak to their kids about the dangers of these types of games,” he said. “The next time this happens, it could cost someone their life.”
The names of the officer and the teen were not released.
One Response
Reads more like a bad action on behalf of the officer. Did you interview the officer. Did he identify himself or call out to the victim. We are a huge supporter of our police and sheriff department, but this story requires more detail.