Camarillo Community Alert 

February 10, 2024 - Ventura County Sheriff's Office officials report that the Camarillo Community Resources Unit and the Camarillo School Resource Officers (SROs) would like to advise our community members of an ongoing game played by high school students each year called “Water Assassins.” The game recently began to be played again amongst teenagers in Camarillo, as well as other cities in the county, generating police calls for service and raising concern.
 
“Water Assassins” typically is a game played outside of school hours where senior high school students are given the name of a student to target with a water gun.  This can involve targeting their homes, vehicles, and/or social events. Most students know to play the game with a brightly colored toy water gun, but sometimes poor judgement is used, and the water gun may appear to look like a real firearm.  This obviously presents great challenges and concerns for law enforcement and citizens. In addition, sometimes other laws are broken including, but not limited to brandishing a weapon, displaying an imitation firearm, trespassing, reckless driving, battery or assault.  
 
The game is not sponsored by schools and is not typically played at school. During the “water assassination,” teenagers will commonly video record their target getting hit with water to prove they were eliminated from the game. Due to the game occurring outside of school hours, it increases police calls for service when community members believe criminal activity is occurring and call 911.
 
The Camarillo Community Resources Unit and Camarillo SROs strongly recommend parents who may have students participating in the high school game talk to their kids about being safe and using good judgement.  Students should avoid the following dangerous actions:

• Do not speed or chase each other using their vehicles.
• Do not block traffic with their vehicles or create traffic hazards.
• Do not wear dark clothing at night and hide under vehicles or behind bushes.
• Do not use water guns that look like real firearms.
• Do not disrupt business operations nor the peace of uninvolved citizens.

The Camarillo Community Resources Unit and Camarillo SROs have a great relationship with our local schools and parents. The Camarillo SROs enjoy regularly talking to students at different locations in Camarillo and want all students to be healthy and safe during the remainder of this school year. If you have any questions regarding the Camarillo SROs or any concerns you can contact Senior Deputy Ryan Shoden, who is Camarillo Police Department’s Youth Services Coordinator.

Nature of Incident: Community Alert Regarding “Water Assassins”

 Location: City of Camarillo

 Date & Time: February 2024

 Unit(s) Responsible: Camarillo Community Resources Unit

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime.  The caller may remain anonymous.  The call is not recorded.  Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Source: Ventura County Sheriff's Office

Related: Ventura County Sheriff Issues Safety Warning to Parents and Citizens About Annual Water Wars