By Roberto Acosta
mlive.com
DAVISON TWP, Mich. — Students are being cautioned after a water gun prank led police to a neighborhood to investigate a report of suspicious activity and resulted in an officer drawing his gun.
The officer was called out at 10:22 p.m. Friday, May 8, to the Townline East subdivision in Davison Township.
Davison Township police Chief Jay Rendon said an 18-year-old was hiding behind a car in the neighborhood.
The responding officer approached from a fence and “thought he saw some movement or a shadow,” Rendon said.
Body-cam footage of the incident provided by the department shows the officer approaching a vehicle in the driveway of a home.
As the officer rounded the front of the vehicle on the driver’s side, with his gun drawn, Rendon said, “The kid lunged out and shot him with a water gun.”
“Once he was able to determine this was a kid with a squirt gun, he ordered him to the ground,” the chief said.
In the video, the teen can be seen getting on a knee and is heard apologizing multiple times to the officer.
“You just scared the absolute dog (expletive) out of me,” the officer says.
“I’m a very lucky guy,” the teen says, to which the officer replied he is.
The officer then can be heard on his radio, stating “I’m all set. It’s some kid doing water wars.”
Rendon said the prank involves high school students being assigned a “target” to try and squirt with a water gun.
In light of the recent police involvement, Davison Community Schools Superintendent Matt Lobban issued a letter to parents and students.
“We are reaching out today because we are very concerned that someone is going to get seriously hurt - or worse - as seniors engage in the game of ‘water wars’ following an incident that occurred last night,” reads the superintendent’s letter dated May 9.
It further states police were called out for a car parked with no one in it that an officer found out didn’t belong to anyone in the neighborhood.
The officer also checked with neighbors, none of whom recognized the vehicle, Lobban’s letter reads.
“The officer noticed an opened fence at a nearby residence and proceeded to the yard to investigate,” the letter reads. “That is when a student jumped out at the officer, whose gun was drawn, and shot his squirt gun, getting the officer wet.
“We are so very thankful that the officer, in spite of it being dark out, was able to determine that the student was not a threat and no one was hurt.
We are also aware that police have also responded to other calls regarding the water wars, such as speeding, trespassing and disruption to local businesses.”
The superintendent’s letter further reads students have been cautioned through daily announcements and newscasts by the district’s TV station, DTV, that “these behaviors can be reported to police and lead to more serious consequences but after last night’s incident we are strongly encouraging students to simply stop playing this game before a seemingly harmless senior prank ends up with tragic results.”
Lobban asked parents to speak with their students “about the dangers and consequences involved in continuing to play water wars.”
Rendon said the teen involved in this incident is a Kearsley student. No charges will be filed.
While the chief isn’t aware of any other calls revolving around the prank this year, he said there was a disturbance last year at the Dairy Queen off Lapeer Road.
“The kid that was the target ran through the kitchen and jumped out the drive-thru window,” Rendon said. “That’s disorderly conduct all day long.”
He pointed out the owner didn’t pursue charges.
“Please be smart about this,” Rendon said. “Do not do anything on roadways, do not do anything in the dark. If you are going to use a water gun, make sure it is a highly visible unmistaken water gun.”
He noted homeowners who may be armed could feel they are under threat.
“This was an incident that fortunately ended up the way it did, the best possible outcome,” Rendon said. “There are real serious consequences if it goes sideways.
“We’re not saying you can’t do this. We’re not the fun police…We just want you to go home in one piece.”
©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
