Realistic water guns prompts warning from Simi Valley police

Simi Valley Police Department urged parents to talk to their children about the "dangers of possessing" water guns that look like real firearms Monday afternoon. 

Officers sent out this warning because of the apparent "Water Wars" competition that happens around this time of the year. 

Water Wars is a competition between high school students, mainly seniors. Students hunt for each other and use squirt guns to tag their opponents while they are coming home from school, work, or other circumstances. People sometimes hide in bushes, parking lots, and other places to get the drop on their targets. 

However, this has caused concerns in Simi Valley and may lead to residents calling police, according to the department. This, coupled with the realistic-looking water guns, could create a dangerous situation. 

"With the sophisticated development of water guns over the years, we strongly encourage all parents to speak with their children about the dangers of possessing anything that even remotely resembles a real firearm," the department said in a statement. 

Officers asked parents to ensure their kids only use "obviously fake" water guns to make sure "there is no confusion" and to ensure it could not be "mistaken as a real firearm."