JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Several Florida sheriffs and law enforcement leaders gathered at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) on Thursday to discuss the “deadly consequences” of the popularized “Senior Assassin” game, in which State Attorney Melissa Nelson said is being played throughout Florida and the nation.

The way the game is played is students, mainly in high school, are assigned a senior or seniors as their target(s). The players then seek to “eliminate” their target(s) using water guns, Nelson explained. 

On Wednesday, an 18-year-old Bishop Kenny High School student was shot while playing the game by an off-duty Florida Department of Law Enforcement officer, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office (NSCO) said.

The shooting happened just before 6 a.m. on Purple Martin Drive in Yulee, as the FDLE officer responded to “what appeared to be three people prowling outside their residence in the dark,” according to NCSO.

The student who was shot was taken to UF Health hospital in Jacksonville with non-life-threatening injuries. Nelson said during a press conference held at JSO on Thursday that the student underwent surgery Thursday for a broken arm.

“This year, play in our area (the First Coast) has apparently just recently begun, and is scheduled in some schools to start next week,” Nelson said during the press conference. “While the game involves water guns, it often occurs in the dark, in the late hours of night, or in the early hours of the morning. Play occurs off school campus and often pervades the boundaries of private property, including yards, driveways, garages and cars.”

Nelson further explained that while the game is intended to be played for fun, the game creates a “dangerous environment with potentially fatal consequences,” as sometimes, players will wear masks, camouflage and other clothing to hide their identity.

“Kids, both running and driving from assassins, or chasing targets, have been in traffic accidents and collisions,” Nelson said. “Schools have been evacuated and locked down. And from St. Johns County to Pennsylvania, 911 operators have been inundated with calls from worried and scared homeowners who see what they believe people lurking outside of their home.”

Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said water guns used in the game can easily be mistaken for real ones. He called the game “Dumb Assassins.”

Neptune Beach Police Chief Michael Key Jr. said the game is popular at Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach.

“I would encourage parents to talk to your kids, let them know the dangers of these games, and not get in a situation where they can get in trouble,” Leeper said.