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Squirt-Gun Game Leads To Hospitalizations

Teen Tradition Turning Dangerous, Police Say

POSTED: 9:19 am EDT October 2, 2008
UPDATED: 9:36 am EDT October 2, 2008

A game popular with teens across the country has led to several crashes in suburban Hartford in the past several days, police said.

The objective of "Squirt-Gun Assassin" is to shoot an intended target with a water gun -- the last man standing wins a prize.

Police said in the past several days, several Connecticut teens have played the game while driving, leading to three crashes.

Wethersfield High School junior Janelly Gonzalez told Eyewitness News that the game has become a tradition at the school.

"They keep knocking people out and the last man standing wins the game," she said. "They were playing Assassin, it got really serious. There were squirt guns and a truck drove into someone's house and they ended up in the hospital."

Wethersfield Police Chief James Cetran said that in all, three crashes have been associated with the game. He said his department has responded to half-a-dozen calls this week because of Assasin, and in one case a teen was attempting to get away from his water gun attacker.

"They cut in front of a poor unsuspecting motorist and two people were taken to the hospital, including a student. At least one of those accidents they drove in front of a poor unsuspecting woman and two people were taken to the hospital, including the woman," he said.

Cetran said that in another case, students engaged in an argument with a homeowner.

"The homeowner didn't know what they were doing hiding in their bushes, so they were concerned," Cetran said.

Wethersfield students were warned of the dangers of the game at an assembly Wednesday.

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