Erin Richards

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MILWAUKEE — It's all fun and games until someone gets fined $565.

That's what happened in South Milwaukee last week when police arrested two "inappropriately clothed" teenagers playing a squirt-gun game that's become a springtime trend among suburban high school students here and nationwide.

The game features teams strategizing to shoot opponents in public or avoid being shot, in hopes of advancing through a March Madness-style bracket and winning a pooled cash prize. Players are usually immune while inside their homes or at school or work.

Or while not wearing clothes.

That's where law enforcement has gotten involved.

Related:

Apple is swapping out the gun emoji for a friendly squirt gun

Police have also expressed more serious concerns about safety, considering the teenagers' zeal for ambushing or fleeing each other.

"Some kids are playing while in their cars, causing traffic hazards and driving recklessly," said South Milwaukee Police Chief Ann Wellens.

Reports of the game being played in suburbs nationwide go back at least five years. Brookfield Police got involved when their local students were playing it in 2013.

Outside Pittsburgh last year, the principal of Hempfield Area Senior High School, warned parents about students playing "Squirt Gun Assassin," according to The Daily Caller.

Parents there told CBS Pittsburgh that they were fairly confident their kids could handle a game of squirt-gun tag.

“It’s all in fun and games,” Mike Malinac told CBS Pittsburgh. “As far as I’ve known, no one has ever gotten hurt doing it, but sometimes things get out of hand.”

Earlier this month a Massachusetts woman got the scare of her life when she saw "an armed man" run into her garage. Turns out it was kids playing "senior assassination," according to MassLive. The woman, although shaken, did not press charges.

Way back in 1999, The New York Times reported the spring fling was inspired by the 1982 movie Tag: The Assassination Game. In the film, which stars Robert Carradine and Linda Hamilton, college students shoot each other with rubber darts until something goes terribly wrong and someone starts using bullets.

Last week, the South Milwaukee School District urged parents to talk to their children about playing the game safely and respectfully, noting that the otherwise socially engaging activity could also have a dangerous element.

"While students did play the game in the past, it wasn't until this year that we received (parent and staff) questions regarding it," South Milwaukee High School Principal Beth Kaminski said by email.

Her earlier note was posted on May 16 to a Twitter feed of game updates, presumably run by a student.

Two days later on May 18, South Milwaukee police arrested two teenagers playing the game. A 17-year-old was cited for disorderly conduct, a $439 fine, and a 15-year-old was cited for lewd and lascivious behavior, a $565 fine, according to police.

That prompted an end to the South Milwaukee Paranoia game, according to the feed.

But the game appears to be going strong in other southside suburbs.

A Twitter feed called @CudahyParanoia referred to players advancing to a championship round last week. Cudahy Police Lt. Joe Zblewski said Tuesday that his department had not responded to any complaints about the game.

Franklin Police Officer Scott Poprocki warned parents in a statement that children could be subject to arrest for running through neighborhoods naked, reckless driving or other suspicious activity as circumstances dictate, according to a May 20 post on a Facebook page for Franklin neighbors.

He encouraged parents to help their children make good decisions.

Follow Erin Richards on Twitter: @emrichards