WAUKESHA — The Waukesha Police Department is sounding the alarm about a potentially dangerous game in the area.
Most recently, officers arrested five juveniles Tuesday night in Waukesha for battery.
Shortly before 10 p.m., WPD squads responded to the Target on W. Sunset Avenue for reports of customers being shot by “orbeez” pellets.
Officials said three adults and one child were hit and that they had welts.
The suspects, all teens, said they were playing a game to eliminate their friends, according to police. They were referred to juvenile court for battery,
“We have to keep the community safe,” Captain Dan Baumann of the Waukesha Police Department explained.
“What appeared to be a meaningless game between a group of teens turned out to almost be a critical incident for not only the police department but the community.”
That call wasn’t the only one.
Watch: Police department warns kids against playing 'Senior Assassin' game:
Waukesha Police also responded to that same Target parking lot Sunday afternoon for reports of an armed robbery.
When officers arrived, they found three teens with a water and airsoft gun in a car.
“We were playing a game that friends and I are a part of. We were waiting for our friend to get off work and we thought to chase them around,” Tyler Gilinsky said.
He and his friends are talking about the popular “Senior Assassin” game.
It commonly involves high school-aged students who pursue each other with water guns or Nerf guns.
“It’s not a game to play in public. If we want to play something like ‘Cops and Robbers’, there are parks or backyards. But in public spaces, they should expect that response,” Captain Baumann said.
Gilinsky’s mom, Melissa, recalled going to pick her son up on Sunday.
“If you pull up and see that many squad cars and your kid in handcuffs on the curb, it’s scary,” Gilinsky said.
“They didn’t enter a business and didn’t bother anybody but each other.”
She said she wishes kids would be able to be kids, but Captian Baumann said there are other ways to do that.
“Kids can be kids. Here in Waukesha, we want kids to be kids. We have two pools and a brand-new park. There are places for little and big kids,” Captain Baumann said.
He said he’s grateful neither instance turned out worse.
“Parents please have courageous conversations on what could put you in different places. There’s fun and games versus a deadly encounter,” Baumann said.
The use of air guns and related devices is against the City of Waukesha’s Municipal Code and is subject to fines.
Police are encouraging young people to take precautions if they insist on playing the game, including avoiding public spaces and using a bright plastic water gun that could not be easily mistaken for a handgun.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
