Florida Student Shot Playing Assassins Game When FDLE Agent Thinks Gun Is Real

YULEE, Florida- An 18-year-old Bishop Kenny High School student playing a high school game called “Senior Assassins” was shot in the arm by an off-duty Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Agent during the early morning hours of Wednesday, February 12, 2025, according to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred just before 6:00 a.m. on Purple Martin Drive in Yulee when the agent encountered what appeared to be three people prowling outside their residence in the dark.

Upon arrival, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office investigators discovered the person shot was a Bishop Kenny student from Jacksonville participating in “Senior Assassins,” a game where students “tag” targets with water guns. In this case their target was a fellow Bishop Kenny student that lives in Nassau County.

Immediately following the shooting, the off-duty agent began to administer first aid while they awaited the arrival of Nassau County Sheriff’s Office.

The student who was shot was transported to UF Health with non-life-threatening injuries. While intended as a harmless senior tradition, the game has drawn serious safety concerns from law enforcement officials.

“These types of games may seem innocent, but when you have young people sneaking around in the dark carrying objects that could be mistaken for weapons, you’re creating a potentially deadly situation,” said Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper.

“Thankfully the student will survive, but this incident demonstrates exactly why parents need to take this seriously and speak to their kids about the dangers of these types of games,” Leeper added. “The next time this happens it could be someone’s life