“Assassin” Senior Prank leads to heavy police response

A tense situation in the City of Columbus ended up being what police are calling a “Senior Assassin” prank that’s going on nationwide. The prank involves high school seniors, who target and shoot other seniors with water pistols while recording it.

Monday morning, April 20, 2026, a resident in the city of Columbus called 911 reporting a man in dark clothing, sunglasses and a baseball cap, walking up her driveway with something in his hand that she believed was a gun.

The woman activated the alarm on her car to scare the man away as she thought her house was going to be broken in to. The man ran from the area on foot before multiple Columbus officers responded to the scene, also requesting assistance from the Fall River Police Department.

A coordinated area search began with a review of home video surveillance, which showed the item in the shape of a pistol in the mans hand. The video allowed police to identity the man who, it was discovered, was intending to go to an adjoining house as part of the prank.

The suspect was located a short time later and the water pistol was also found and seized.

Police say the man will be issued a citation for disorderly conduct.

Police go on to say, while intended as a prank, this potentially put people in danger with multiple law enforcement officers driving at a high rate of speed to a report of a man with a gun.

Any parents who have seniors are asked to talk to your kids about this prank to prevent additional incidents similar to this. Area High Schools should also make an announcement as well.