Police in Halton Region are advising parents and students about the dangers associated with a viral TikTok trend known as the “Assassins Game” following a series of recent incidents.

While Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has not said exactly what occurred, they did say officers responded to four calls related to the game in the past week. One of those calls lead to charges being laid against two minors from Georgetown, police added.

Investigators said that the “Assassins Game” is usually played by high school students and involves them “hunting or ‘assassinating’ one another with water or Nerf-style guns.” These so-called “assassinations” can happen in in different setting in public at all times of the day and night, they said.

Police also noted that some of the guns used have resembled real firearms.

“In many instances, observers – unaware the game is being played – have contacted police,” HRPS said.

“Notwithstanding the fear and elevated emergency response the game can cause, there is the potential for those who participate in it to face a number of consequences – up to and including criminal charges.”

As a result, police are discouraging youth from playing the “Assassins Game” and are urging parents to speak to their children about its “far-reaching, associated risks.”

Police said they’re issuing this warning to “ensure the safety of members of the public and to eliminate the risk of an unnecessary and serious encounter with officers.”

“We recognize that the vast majority of these cases involve young people playing and that no harm is intended,” Staff Sergeant Ryan Snow of HRPS’s Regional Community Mobilization Bureau said in a news release.

“In saying this, these activities are resulting in unintended consequences that place participants, members of the community, and first responders at risk. The Halton Regional Police Service encourages youth to think carefully, to make good decisions, and to understand that their participation in this game can result in criminal charges. Parents are also encouraged to talk with their children about how their actions can affect others.”