‘Senior murderer’ sport leads Stoneham police to detain teen

{The teenager} is heard on the physique digicam footage explaining he was holding a “senior murderer water gun” and apologizing to the officer.

Physique digicam footage exhibiting police strategy a teen who was holding what was later decided to be a water gun. Stoneham police

Stoneham police are warning highschool college students who’re enjoying the sport “senior murderer” after a involved resident referred to as 911 reporting a person with a gun outdoors his residence.

“I’ve a gentleman outdoors of my home, hiding with a gun, who seems like he’s about to ambush anyone. I would like anyone to return instantly,” the resident mentioned, in line with the 911 name launched by police.

Officers responded to Gerry Road in Stoneham simply after 7 a.m. Monday after the resident reported the person outdoors his residence had a pistol, Stoneham Police Chief James O’Connor mentioned in an announcement.

There, police discovered a teen with a “realistic-looking handgun-style water pistol.” Video of the incident appeared to point out {the teenager} being arrested, however police mentioned that as an alternative “his dad and mom have been referred to as, and he was launched with out cost or additional incident.”

A teen holding a water pistol whereas standing in a bush close to a house on Monday. *Stoneham police.*

“{The teenager} was instantly compliant, apologetic, and cooperative with officers,” O’Connor mentioned in an announcement. “{The teenager} was briefly detained, however officers have been capable of affirm that he had no ailing intent and had a water pistol, albeit a realistic-looking one.”

In physique digicam footage launched by the division, officers strategy the teenager and inform him to put facedown within the highway.

{The teenager} is heard explaining he was holding a “senior murderer water gun” and apologizing to the officer. The officers then assist him up and take away {the handcuffs}.

Stoneham police then launched a warning in regards to the sport on Fb, saying residents referred to as 911 reporting two separate incidents. Each required a big police presence and have been later decided to be associated to the murderer sport, police mentioned.

Whereas the division “doesn’t condone” the exercise, it’s reminding college students collaborating within the sport to make use of brightly coloured water weapons, not use masks, and to not run from police.

“I want to credit score the officers who responded to this incident for his or her calmness and demeanor,” O’Connor mentioned. “What may have been a probably harmful misunderstanding was shortly sorted out by well-trained professionals. It’s my hope that we will flip this incident right into a studying alternative for our total group and different communities who’ve additionally confronted this problem.”