The Thunder Bay Police Service issued a public safety warning on May 10, 2026, after a game played by local high school students resulted in a high-risk police response. Officers were called to the scene on May 9 after a concerned motorist reported seeing a person in another vehicle carrying what appeared to be a handgun.
Upon arriving, officers discovered the item was not a real weapon but an imitation firearm used for a game known as Senior Assassin. Because the object looked like a genuine firearm, police treated the report as a serious emergency until they could confirm it was a toy.
The game, popular among graduating students, involves participants attempting to tag or eliminate one another using water guns or imitation firearms in public spaces like parking lots, parks, neighbourhoods, and streets. Police are now urging students to stop using these items in public, as their realistic appearance forces officers to respond to every report as if it were a legitimate threat.
Authorities are reminding families that playing this game in public can lead to unintended consequences, including criminal investigations, school-related sanctions, or injury. Parents and guardians are encouraged to discuss these risks with their children to prevent further emergency calls. Other police services across Ontario, such as the London Police Service, the Waterloo Regional Police Service, and the Ontario Provincial Police, have issued similar warnings regarding the safety hazards of the game earlier this spring.
