School and police officials in the Tri-Valley say it’s that time of year again for some high school seniors, and they’ve put out their annual call to just say no.
“Assassin” contests, which often crop up at this time in the spring semester, see participating students assigned “targets” of whom they must “assassinate” using toy weapons, often Nerf-type guns that fire foam darts — but the endeavor is far from a harmless game, presenting unintended consequences that can be very dangerous, according to public safety officials.
“This activity is of significant concern because students have, in the past, engaged in risky behaviors for the sake of the game. Quite often, the thrill of the game can override a teen’s common sense,” said officials from Dublin, who were the first in the area to issue their annual advisory against “Assassin”.
The popular but unsanctioned contest generally sees students pay to participate, and over the course of multiple rounds and weeks of play, the winner of the financial pot is the last person standing.
The manner of play, which often takes place throughout the community in public, can be far from safe though — especially for how the encounters are seen in the eyes of bystanders, according to the joint advisory from Dublin Police Services, Dublin Unified School District and Dublin High School administration.
Some strategies for students in “Assassin” include disguising the toy weapons to make them look more realistic, reaching for concealed weapons in public places, lying in wait around the neighborhood or hiding on another’s property, wearing dark or camouflaged clothing, jumping out of moving vehicles to attack or flee from competitors and even conducting “drive-by” operations on a target in public, officials said.
“When viewed through a non-participant’s eyes, the behaviors look and have all the elements of an actual threatening or violent event unfolding. They often prompt multiple calls to police who respond to what they believe to be a violent incident in progress,” officials said.
“Not only does this consume significant time and resources of emergency personnel, it also jeopardizes the safety of our community when actual threats cannot be responded to in a timely manner. Furthermore, in the eyes of a startled homeowner protecting his or her family or property, a violent response to a player is quite possible,” they added, while also warning:
“Parents and students need to be aware that this activity can look like a realistic violent crime. If a police officer or another person is injured during the response to that incident, the people involved, including the parents of the minor taking part, could be held liable.”
Officials in Dublin — like their counterparts in Pleasanton, Livermore and the San Ramon Valley often do each year — reminded too that students could face additional disciplinary action if any weapons, even toy guns, is brought onto campus or administrators discover any other evidence that the game is being played at school.
“The safety of our students is always our top priority,” Dublin officials said. “We encourage you to speak with your child regarding the game and ask them to refrain from participating. We hope this information will help families stay informed.”
–Jeremy Walsh
In other news
* A Modesto man was arrested in Salida earlier this month in connection with a series of commercial burglaries in Livermore and the central valley, according to a statement from Livermore police.The man, identified as 31-year-old Steven Russell Carson, has since been charged by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office with several counts, including two felony counts of burglary, two felony counts of vandalism and one felony count for driving or taking a vehicle without consent.
The two Livermore burglaries occurred on the morning of Feb. 5. Around 7 a.m., officers responded to a report of a commercial burglary at Legacy Ink on the 1600 block of North Vasco Road. After gaining access into the property by smashing the front glass door with a hammer, Carson took T-shirts and body piercing jewelry from the establishment, police said.
A burglary occurred at Popeye’s Chicken in the 2300 block of Las Positas Road at around 9:30 a.m. the same day. The owner said the suspect shut the power off, according to the Livermore Police Department.
Through their investigation, officers determined both burglaries were carried out by the same person. Video surveillance also showed the suspect’s car was a white convertible Ford Mustang. With help from LPD’s real time crime analyst, investigators determined the car had been stolen from Avis Rental Car at the Modesto Airport.
In addition to the burglaries in Livermore, further investigation revealed Carson was involved in two commercial burglaries in Merced, one in Tracy and five burglaries in Modesto, according to police.
–Cierra Bailey
* California Attorney General Rob Bonta recently demanded additional information from a COVID testing company facing a federal investigation amid waves of customer complaints and concerns, and unanswered questions into their business practices and motives.
The Illinois-based company Centers for Covid Control (CCC) launched and operated numerous pop-up testing sites, including one in San Ramon at 9110 Alcosta Blvd., amid the early omicron surge and increased demand for testing as a result.
The company was ordered to close last month, amid a federal investigation and FBI raid of the company’s headquarters outside Chicago on Jan. 22. However, local sites were allowed to resume operations independently by severing ties with the main company.
While this led to most sites to shutter or pause operations, with the San Ramon location being listed as “temporarily closed” for several weeks, the site appeared to be open, according to its web listings last week. Contact information and a link to the CCC website were no longer listed.
On Feb. 10, Bonta sent a letter to the company requesting additional information that could substantiate claims that have been thrown into question by consumer complaints. Specifically, the company is facing numerous reports of failing to provide test results in the timeframe advertised, concerns about accuracy of test results, and handling of test samples.
Bonta is requesting that the company provide information substantiating claims about turnaround time for test results, including claims of rapid test results being available within 15 minutes in person or three hours via email, and PCR test results being available within no more than 48 hours.
“Today’s letter to Center for Covid Control serves as a warning to all other COVID-19 testing sites operating in the state of California. If you are operating a testing site that is making false claims, failing to provide promised test results, or stealing people’s information, we will hold you accountable,” Bonta said in a statement. “My office is responsible for keeping individuals safe from false or misleading business practices, and we are committed to doing just that.”
Bonta added that he encouraged anyone who suspected being scammed by a testing site to report it to his office via oag.ca.gov/report.
–Jeanita Lyman
