‘Senior assassin’ game leads Stoneham police to detain teen

Stoneham Police are warning high school students playing the game “Big Killer” after a concerned resident called 911 to report a man with a gun outside his home.

“I have a gentleman outside my house, hiding with a gun, looking like he’s about to ambush someone. I need someone to come right away,” one resident said, according to a 911 call released by police.

Officers responded to Geary Street in Stoneham just after 7 a.m. Monday after a resident reported that a man was outside his home holding a gun, Stoneham Police Chief James O’Connor said in a statement.

There, police found a teenager carrying a “realistic-looking water pistol.” A video of the incident appeared to show the teen being arrested, but police said instead “his parents were contacted, and he was released without charges being filed or any other incident.”

“The teen was immediately compliant, apologized and cooperated with officers,” O’Connor said in a statement. “The teenager was briefly detained, but officers were able to confirm that he had no ill intent and was carrying a water pistol, albeit a realistic one.”

In body camera footage released by the department, officers approach the teen and ask him to lie face down on the road.

The teen was heard explaining that he was carrying a “big lethal water pistol” and apologizing to the officer. The officers then help him get up and remove the handcuffs.

Stoneham Police then Issue a warning about the game on Facebook, saying residents called 911 to report two separate incidents. Both required a significant police presence and were later identified as being linked to the murder game, police said.

While the administration “does not condone” this activity, it reminds students participating in the game to use brightly colored water pistols, not use masks, and not run from the police.

“I would like to commend the officers who responded to this incident for their calm and demeanor,” O’Connor said. “What could have been a serious misunderstanding was quickly resolved by well-trained professionals. I hope we can turn this incident into an educational opportunity for our entire community and other communities that have faced this issue as well.”

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime and more.