KATU: A Dangerous New Take on Tag for Teenagers

By JESSICA LUTJEMEYER

Fugitive
Our news partners at KATU are reporting on a new phenomenon among Pacific Northwest teens that’s a dangerous step up from “tag” or “cops and robbers.”It’s called Fugitive.

With as many as 150 players per game, the concept is that one person—”the fugitive”—sets out on foot and tries to reach a destination. The fugitive tries to reach that destination before being “caught,” or tagged, by something like a flashlight beam from other teen-agers—”the cops”—who chase the person in cars.

A 16-year-old driver lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a tree and fence when she and her passenger were playing Fugitive on Dec. 7 in Sammamish, Wash.

Police say it’s also common for teen-agers who are playing the game to jump out of their cars while they’re still moving. If parents are oblivious about the game, there are countless Facebook pages for Fugitive, including numerous pages for the Pacific Northwest alone.

Some of the Oregon pages include the areas of Bend, Corvallis, Hillsboro, Portland, West Linn and Wilsonville. Some of the Washington pages include the areas of Auburn, Bellevue, Bellingham, Burien, Edmonds, Mercer Island, and Sultan.

WWeek 2015

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office.

Help us dig deeper.

Support