New Yorkers stalk victims in city-wide shooting game

NEW YORK - Wei-Ming Kao approaches a heavily guarded truck in a secluded parking lot in an industrial area of New York to pick up his orders - to "stalk" and "kill" his target.

But all is not what it seems.

Kao, 27, a graduate student, is playing StreetWars, a version of a popular high school and college game Assassins that kicked off in New York on Monday with around 240 players.

Kao is given a photo, name, home and work addresses and phone number of a target whom he must pursue and "kill" with a water pistol, water balloon or other water-based soaking, while eluding the player who is coming after him.

"I thought it would be fun, a way to meet new people, even if I die in the first week," said Kao.

Contestants pay US$40 ($60) to enter. The winner gets US$500, a bottle of Jack Daniels and a water gun mounted on a trophy.

Game co-founder Franz Aliquo, dressed in a vintage suit and aviator glasses, also known as the Supreme Commander, said the game was born largely out of boredom.

Aliquo plans to develop the game into a reality TV show.

Part of the fun, say players, is avoiding the daily grind by living as though they are in an action movie for three weeks, in which they are unable to have any routine.

- REUTERS