Since the announcement of Senior Assassin in January, 213 Granite Bay High School seniors have transformed into detectives, chased each other with squirt guns and adorned fashionable floaties all at the same time.

The deadly tradition began in 2021 by graduate Kelly Jones, and has now been passed onto current senior Sophia Hickey, who runs the instagram handle: gb23seniorassassin.

“I wanted to take on the [Senior Assassin] instagram because I’ve run granite bay social media accounts in the past, and I’ve been in student government for eight terms, so I’m kind of used to helping run big events,” Hickey said. “I’m glad I did it, because of how big a thing it is for seniors. I knew people were gonna wanna take the challenge on, and everybody loved it in the past.”

The aim was simple. Win the game? Win $2750.

Senior Assassin itself revolves around pairs of students attempting to shoot their target, another assigned pair. You must eliminate your pair in order to progress, and when you’re shot, you’re out of the game.  For the first-place winners, $2000 is awarded.  The second-place pair gets $500, and $250 for the third-place group.

“In previous years, they’ve had $5-$10 entry fees to pile up the money.  I ended up making it $15 so it would be a bigger cash prize. In the end, we rounded up $2750,” Hickey said.

Although the money may have been an incentive, many GBHS seniors also signed up for the fun of it, like player Kate Broers.

“I saw how much fun it was last year and was excited to be a part of that this year,” Broers said.  “The excitement of it all and not knowing who is trying to get you out, while also trying to get your person out, it’s all very funny.”

Although the game seems simple enough, additional difficulties were implemented such as immunity floaties and purge days designed to prolong and bring excitement to the games.  The only permanent safe zones are school, practices and moving vehicles.

“The floaties grant immunity, so students can go places safely. On the other hand, purge day is totally free for all,” Hickey said.  “Everyone’s a free target and its total chaos.”

In retrospect to normal days, purge days have eliminated way more players.  The first purge day, March 29, ended with over 50 shot, double the amount killed within the first 9 days.  There is one purge day per round.

“It’s so unpredictable,” senior Yousef Hashim said. “You don’t know if you’re gonna live or die.”

As of April 26th, round 3 has begun; while the game continues to progress, so have the rules and methods of elimination.

“The best kill of all time is when Olivia Stenson dressed up as an old lady and staged a fall,” Broers said.  “So when her target went over to help her up she whipped out a water gun and got her out.”

Whether full costume transformation or a simple speed shot, GBHS seniors have gotten creative in strategy.  Hashim, for instance, uses knowledge rather than immediate and unpredictable action.

“My strategy is information gathering, getting as much info from others about who has who, their schedules, what car they drive, where they live and just using that information to get my kills without putting myself out there and risking my life,” Hashim said.

As the game has gone on for several months now without an ending winner, it’s clear to see the intensity and passion placed into senior assassin.

“It’s so fun to see how into it people are getting.  I get to see the truces, and the betrayals and the happiness of all the players,” Hickey said.