Jeepman
Member
You carry daily, your in the video store, some punk walks in and pulls a "gun" from his waist and starts pointing at one of the employees....
What do you do?
Keep in mind some water pistols look close to the real thing, especially from a distance.
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2004/04/09/news/news/news01.txt
OA students: Stalking game all in good fun
By Maria Papadopoulos, Enterprise correspondent
EASTON — Katie Bloomer is a high school senior taking part in a traditional squirt gun "assassination" game because she said it's all in good fun.
But Lauren Henry is not playing the game because she thinks it has gone too far.
"It seems excessive," said Henry, 18. "People are crazy about it. Someone's always stalking you."
What may have begun as an innocent game of mischief among Oliver Ames High School graduating seniors has taken a dangerous turn, police said, with reports of vandalism and pranksters disrupting local businesses by stalking employees at work, using vehicles to corner a game target in parking lots and following students home.
Police are investigating the possibility of vandalism at a home on Susan Road that may be connected to the game, Sgt. Jack Lynn said Friday.
"Tires were slashed and the mother believes that it's also tied to this game," said Lynn.
Students get into the game, called "Senior Assassin," by putting money into a pool. Each player is assigned a person to hunt down with a squirt gun and also becomes the target of a hunt. The student who is the "last man standing" in the game gets the money, now estimated at more than $500.
Despite the fact that School Committee members say letters were sent home in the past condemning the game, it's been unofficial student activity for years, according to police and students.
"They let us do it every year. We've been doing it for awhile," said Amanda Barrett, a junior at Oliver Ames who does not plan to participate in the game next year.
Henry, who is not a game participant, said Principal Wesley Paul made a school announcement Thursday morning "not to talk about it in class, just to keep it outside and keep it safe."
"He doesn't condone the game," Henry said. "It's not on school grounds."
School officials could not be reached for comment Friday.
Bloomer, who works at Hilliard's House of Candy, said the game is meant to be a bonding experience among graduating seniors.
"Most of it is just for fun," said Bloomer, 18. "It just brings a lot of seniors together."
About 80-100 seniors each paid $7 to play the game this year, said Bloomer, who was followed home by other players from school but has not had personal safety concerns.
"Some people are taking it more seriously than others," said Bloomer. "I haven't had anyone break into my house or anything. When you get into your car, you just check your back. It's just a water gun. No one's really stalking you."
But two local businesses called police Wednesday night to complain about several high school youths "stalking" their employees as part of the game and climbing onto the roof of store buildings.
Store managers at the Subway at Belmont and Washington streets and at Hollywood Video in Shaw's Plaza said they had to escort employees to their vehicles after work on Wednesday night.
A manager at Hollywood Video said he drove home an employee who had seven cars waiting for him at the end of his shift Wednesday, and the pranksters followed their vehicle to the employee's home.
One Easton parent, who asked not to be identified, said her daughter dropped out of the game out of concerns for her safety.
"She took herself out. It was just getting out of control," she said. "They get too much into it. They hide in each other's bushes and they do foolish things. And they drive too fast."
Barrett said some students were in a minor car accident recently after speeding while playing the game.
"They were having this high-speed chase. One of the girls, she hit someone else," said Barrett.
Police are also concerned the students, who are inexperienced drivers, are using their cars in the game, said Sgt. Lynn.
"They're chasing each other around in cars. Somebody has to step in and try to control it," he said.
The game's rules state that a player is declared "safe" when in his car, on school grounds or at home, according to students. Players who call police, break into somebody's home or go inside another player's workplace are disqualified.
Despite the rules, some high school students have gone as far as breaking into other students' homes to retrieve car keys and garage door opener keys and waiting for hours outside local businesses.
School Committee members have said school officials cannot punish students for behavior outside of school.
Police, who spoke to the organizers of this year's game about the dangers and possible consequences several weeks ago, will meet with school officials early next week to discuss the game and the week's incidents, Lynn said.
Students who violate the law would be prosecuted, he said, adding that police action taken against the pranksters could range from a motor vehicle citation to a court summons for civil or criminal offense to an arrest.
"We definitely need help from the parents to try and control this," Lynn said.
School Committee Chairman William Braun, whose sons participated in the game as high school seniors a few years ago, said the game has gone too far.
"This is out of hand now," said Braun. "When they were playing it, from my vantage point, it was just sheer fun and innocence. I didn't realize they were going to businesses."
Jared Nikolsky, a junior, agreed.
"This senior class is taking it more seriously than other ones," said Nikolsky, 17, who plans to participate next year. "People go as far as to pay people to drive their car. The bigger the prize is, usually the farther they'll go."
Despite the recent pranks, some students say the game will go on.
"All of the cops in Easton know what's going on and kids are going to play safely," said Bloomer.
"Unless something drastic happens, I think it will continue," said Henry.
Kristen Mazzapica, a junior, called the game a fun activity.
"As long as people are smart, and don't act like idiots, everything should be fine," said Mazzapica, 17. "I think they should calm down a little bit, if it's at the point where cops are being called."
What do you do?
Keep in mind some water pistols look close to the real thing, especially from a distance.
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2004/04/09/news/news/news01.txt
OA students: Stalking game all in good fun
By Maria Papadopoulos, Enterprise correspondent
EASTON — Katie Bloomer is a high school senior taking part in a traditional squirt gun "assassination" game because she said it's all in good fun.
But Lauren Henry is not playing the game because she thinks it has gone too far.
"It seems excessive," said Henry, 18. "People are crazy about it. Someone's always stalking you."
What may have begun as an innocent game of mischief among Oliver Ames High School graduating seniors has taken a dangerous turn, police said, with reports of vandalism and pranksters disrupting local businesses by stalking employees at work, using vehicles to corner a game target in parking lots and following students home.
Police are investigating the possibility of vandalism at a home on Susan Road that may be connected to the game, Sgt. Jack Lynn said Friday.
"Tires were slashed and the mother believes that it's also tied to this game," said Lynn.
Students get into the game, called "Senior Assassin," by putting money into a pool. Each player is assigned a person to hunt down with a squirt gun and also becomes the target of a hunt. The student who is the "last man standing" in the game gets the money, now estimated at more than $500.
Despite the fact that School Committee members say letters were sent home in the past condemning the game, it's been unofficial student activity for years, according to police and students.
"They let us do it every year. We've been doing it for awhile," said Amanda Barrett, a junior at Oliver Ames who does not plan to participate in the game next year.
Henry, who is not a game participant, said Principal Wesley Paul made a school announcement Thursday morning "not to talk about it in class, just to keep it outside and keep it safe."
"He doesn't condone the game," Henry said. "It's not on school grounds."
School officials could not be reached for comment Friday.
Bloomer, who works at Hilliard's House of Candy, said the game is meant to be a bonding experience among graduating seniors.
"Most of it is just for fun," said Bloomer, 18. "It just brings a lot of seniors together."
About 80-100 seniors each paid $7 to play the game this year, said Bloomer, who was followed home by other players from school but has not had personal safety concerns.
"Some people are taking it more seriously than others," said Bloomer. "I haven't had anyone break into my house or anything. When you get into your car, you just check your back. It's just a water gun. No one's really stalking you."
But two local businesses called police Wednesday night to complain about several high school youths "stalking" their employees as part of the game and climbing onto the roof of store buildings.
Store managers at the Subway at Belmont and Washington streets and at Hollywood Video in Shaw's Plaza said they had to escort employees to their vehicles after work on Wednesday night.
A manager at Hollywood Video said he drove home an employee who had seven cars waiting for him at the end of his shift Wednesday, and the pranksters followed their vehicle to the employee's home.
One Easton parent, who asked not to be identified, said her daughter dropped out of the game out of concerns for her safety.
"She took herself out. It was just getting out of control," she said. "They get too much into it. They hide in each other's bushes and they do foolish things. And they drive too fast."
Barrett said some students were in a minor car accident recently after speeding while playing the game.
"They were having this high-speed chase. One of the girls, she hit someone else," said Barrett.
Police are also concerned the students, who are inexperienced drivers, are using their cars in the game, said Sgt. Lynn.
"They're chasing each other around in cars. Somebody has to step in and try to control it," he said.
The game's rules state that a player is declared "safe" when in his car, on school grounds or at home, according to students. Players who call police, break into somebody's home or go inside another player's workplace are disqualified.
Despite the rules, some high school students have gone as far as breaking into other students' homes to retrieve car keys and garage door opener keys and waiting for hours outside local businesses.
School Committee members have said school officials cannot punish students for behavior outside of school.
Police, who spoke to the organizers of this year's game about the dangers and possible consequences several weeks ago, will meet with school officials early next week to discuss the game and the week's incidents, Lynn said.
Students who violate the law would be prosecuted, he said, adding that police action taken against the pranksters could range from a motor vehicle citation to a court summons for civil or criminal offense to an arrest.
"We definitely need help from the parents to try and control this," Lynn said.
School Committee Chairman William Braun, whose sons participated in the game as high school seniors a few years ago, said the game has gone too far.
"This is out of hand now," said Braun. "When they were playing it, from my vantage point, it was just sheer fun and innocence. I didn't realize they were going to businesses."
Jared Nikolsky, a junior, agreed.
"This senior class is taking it more seriously than other ones," said Nikolsky, 17, who plans to participate next year. "People go as far as to pay people to drive their car. The bigger the prize is, usually the farther they'll go."
Despite the recent pranks, some students say the game will go on.
"All of the cops in Easton know what's going on and kids are going to play safely," said Bloomer.
"Unless something drastic happens, I think it will continue," said Henry.
Kristen Mazzapica, a junior, called the game a fun activity.
"As long as people are smart, and don't act like idiots, everything should be fine," said Mazzapica, 17. "I think they should calm down a little bit, if it's at the point where cops are being called."
