Water gun game returns to Michigan schools, prompting police warnings about realistic-looking toys
An outdoor water gun game is trending again among high school students, with multiple Southeast Michigan police departments advising both students and area residents to be aware of potential misunderstandings.
The game is known in various locations as "water wars" or "senior assassin." It has taken place in recent years across the Metro Detroit area as the school year winds down.
"This activity is not school-sponsored but is a tradition in which high school students try to get other teams 'out' by squirting them with water guns," Shelby Township Police Department said in one of the recent announcements about the game. "We want residents to be aware so that no one is alarmed if they observe students running around or holding water guns."
Students who are known to have started playing in recent days include those from Eisenhower High School and Utica High School, Shelby police added.
The concern is that some water guns might appear "very realistic from a distance," Shelby Township police said. To prevent such misunderstandings, the Hazel Park Police Department urges students to use only squirt guns that "resemble squirt guns, not real firearms."
Northville Police also have said they were aware that students from Northville High School were playing water wars games this year in the city and township, and that several reports were made to the police department in spring 2025 about suspicious activity that turned out to be the water gun game.
"Although a student who is carrying the look-a-like weapon knows that it is a water gun, the person making the report or responding to the threat does not," Northville police said.
Northville police reminded students to be aware of juvenile curfew laws that exist in their jurisdiction and others, along with laws regarding trespassing and disturbing the peace.
"It is important that our children understand the importance of being respectful and mindful of Northville Township and those that live here," Northville police said.
The Canton Police Department, the Dundee Police Department and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office have also issued notices to their communities about the game and the risks of acting in a suspicious manner around others.
"If you see the police, do not run or hide; explain to the officers what you are doing and cooperate," the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said.
The above video originally aired on April 18, 2026.