GENESEE COUNTY, Mich. – A senior prank caught on police body camera video in Genesee County is raising fresh concerns about the end-of-year game known as “water wars,” in which students use squirt guns to “eliminate” opponents in a bracket-style competition that can include cash prizes.
Davison Township police Chief Jay Rendon said an officer responding to a 911 call about suspicious activity believed he may have been walking into an active burglary when he approached an open fence and encountered a teen who jumped out and sprayed him with a squirt gun.
Rendon said the officer had only moments to assess the threat.
“He just had a fantastic action not to fire and shoot this kid,” Rendon said. “He had milliseconds to make that decision.”
Davison Community Schools sent a letter to parents of seniors urging students to stop playing the game, saying police have responded to other incidents tied to “water wars,” including speeding, trespassing, and disruptions to local businesses.
Rendon suggested that if students insist on playing, organizers should consider a centralized location such as a park, and notify police in advance so officers know it is a planned activity and emergency resources are not pulled from other calls.
For students who still choose to participate, Rendon urged them to avoid playing at night and to use brightly colored water guns that are clearly toys.
“If they’re going to be having a water gun, make sure it’s a big, identifiable neon colored gun,” Rendon said. “Black guns, anything that looks like a gun, even the black guns with a little orange tip, sometimes that’s not enough to see.”
Similar warnings have been raised in other parts of Metro Detroit. School districts, including Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, have discouraged participation, noting that squirt guns can easily be mistaken for real firearms.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, are warning that trespassing or reckless driving tied to the game can result in criminal charges.
Troy police Sgt. John Julian said officers responding to reports of suspicious activity may not be able to tell from a distance whether a person is holding a toy.
“In the dark, in a heightened state, from the distance of me to you, how do you tell what you have right there?” Julian said.
Julian said Troy police have handled similar calls, recalling one instance where he encountered teens waiting outside a gym around 4:30 a.m to ambush a target.
He urged students to stay alert and avoid reckless behavior during the game.
“Don’t go running in traffic, don’t jump out of moving vehicles, because it is a game and we want you to have fun, but not at the expense of getting yourself hurt or others hurt,” Julian said.