Westhampton Beach seniors participate in the trend every year called senior assassin, where the seniors each get randomly assigned a person to eliminate their assigned targets. This non-school sponsored event usually takes place around graduation which is proved to be the best time for senior bonding.

This “game” doesn’t come without dangers, and many police departments have issued warnings about how the toy guns could be mistaken for real ones.Most importantly, water guns should not to be brought on or around school.

Reckless driving could also cause injuries to the players and people around them. A Texas teen died in 2025 after hitting his head after falling off the back of a truck while playing senior assassin. 

Senior Dagny Beasley said, “I think with driving it can be super dangerous. There’s even been people who have been pulled over because of aggressive driving so it can definitely get out of hand really quickly.” Even though the game is entertaining and fun, the players should still play with caution and be smart.

The rules are: No one is allowed to get their assigned person out on school grounds or during school sports. Although after sports are over, if it’s not on school property, then you are allowed to get your person out. There is also “the purge,” where the students in the game have a 24-hour period where they can get anyone with their water gun and it doesn’t have to be the person they were assigned.  

This year, 82 seniors participated in the game and currently only about 10 are left. But there can only be one winner.  Dagny predicts, “I think Mitchell Lee because he’s super dedicated and even slept in his car overnight just to stay in, I don’t know how much more dedicated you can get.” 

Dan Shannon predicts, “I think that Derrick Hansen will win because he has a very well planned strategy.”  *At press time Derrick was eliminated by Jasmine Taylor.

Good luck to all the remaining players. Be safe and have fun.