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A game meant to be lighthearted ended with arrests, a school lockdown, and a districtwide warning from Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Fred Heid.
Four students were arrested on Friday, April 17, after waving what appeared to be handguns in a parking lot at Davenport High School, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The guns turned out to be realistic-looking water guns tied to a game known as “senior assassin,” but the incident prompted a lockdown and immediate law enforcement response.
Sheriff Grady Judd said the students’ actions “threw students, staff, and parents into a panic” and disrupted the school day, even as authorities quickly determined there was no active threat.
All four students — three 18-year-olds and one 17-year-old — were charged with disruption of a school function, a second-degree misdemeanor. Investigators said the incident was first reported by a student who saw the group and alerted a teacher.
Superintendent: ‘Not harmless’
In a mass email sent to families on April 19, Heid made clear the district views the game as a serious safety risk.
“Activities such as ‘senior assassin’ games are not harmless,” Heid wrote. “In today’s environment, these behaviors present a very real safety concern that we will not overlook.”
He warned that even water guns or replica weapons can create confusion and fear on campus, particularly given the backdrop of school shootings nationwide.
The district is putting students on notice: participation — especially if it involves bringing look-alike weapons to campus — could carry steep penalties.
Those may include:
- Immediate suspension or expulsion
- Removal from graduation activities, including walking at commencement
- Referral to law enforcement, which may result in arrest
“These are not consequences we take lightly,” Heid wrote, “but they are necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of every student and staff member.”
A game collides with reality
“Senior assassin” is a popular game often played by high school seniors near the end of the year, typically involving students “eliminating” assigned targets with water guns outside of school hours. It is played through an app and can involve real prize money.
But officials say that in today’s climate, even off-campus actions can spill over into schools — and quickly escalate.
The Davenport incident underscores that tension: what students saw as a game was perceived by others as a potential active shooter situation, triggering a full safety response.
Heid urged parents to talk with their students about making responsible choices as graduation approaches.
“The goal for every senior is to finish the year strong and celebrate this important milestone — not jeopardize it over a moment of poor judgment,” he wrote.
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