Doctors Say Nearly A Dozen Injured In Paintball Attacks

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xenophon

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http://www.local10.com/news/3917970/detail.html?subid=22100404&qs=1;bp=t

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. --

Doctors say a recent paintball attack blinded a man in one of his eyes.

A South Florida man has been blinded in one eye and several other people injured in a series of paintball attacks in Miami-Dade County, doctors say.

Adrian Thomas was hit near Northeast 163rd Street in North Miami Beach last week. The attack blinded him in one eye.

Doctors at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute claimed Thomas wasn't the only victim.

Within the last six weeks, they said they have treated 11 people for eye injuries due to random paintball attacks across Miami-Dade County.

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It's only a matter of time before they hit the wrong person.... From what happened up in Boston to that girl hit in the eye by the pepper ball causing her death, it's also only a matter of time when a paint ball does the same thing. I hope they get what's coming to them.......

xenophon
 
It's only a matter of time before they hit the wrong person....
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Indeed it is, xeno.

These repugnant assaults appear to be escalating, both in terms of frequency and degree of injury inflicted.

However egregious they may be, the volume and lethality of paintball gun assaults establishes a precedent - horrible though it may be - that can be used in an affirmative claim of self-defense....should the "wrong" person find himself defending life and limb.

TM
 
I don't think anyone's ever been killed by a paintball. But there's no way the jackasses doing this will be punished sufficiently for partially blinding someone.

You couldn't use lethal force against a paintball attack. Of course, it might be hard to tell they're firing paintballs. A reasonable person could easily believe they were the victim of a lethal drive-by shooting, and return fire. Be a real shame if these punks were shot dead. :)
 
Well, in MN losing the sight of one eye would be considered grave bodily harm as my instructor explained it. So one could use deadly force, if you thought they were aiming for the face. I wonder how a jury might decide the case, though?

I have to think that presenting one's sidearm at a low ready might end the festivities right there. In states where there is a brandishing law (not MN, thankfully), that might not be a viable intermediate option. Again, I wonder how a jury might decide things.
 
A nephew was joking about targeting unsuspecting people with a paintball gun. I took him outside, it was dark, and I got in his car with his paintball gun. I then rolled the window down and pointed the paintball gun out the windown for him to see, I then pointed my (unloaded and cleared) 1911 out of the same window and asked him if he throught he could tell the difference in the dark, after just getting shot at my something and having the car traveling at 20 or so mph. I then told him how many CCW permits are in the state and how many folks out walking are probably packing something a whole lot more lethal than his paintball gun. He put two and two together and figured out taking potshots was not the brightest thing to do.
 
xenophon said:
Doctors say a recent paintball attack blinded a man in one of his eyes.
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This reminds me of that old movie A Christmas Story. "You'll put your eye out with that thing!"

Still, driving past someone, pointing ANYTHING that looks like a gun at them, then discharging it is asking to get shot. If it's dark, and this happened to me, I wouldn't risk waiting to see if it was a paintball gun or not, especially since alot of those things are modeled on real guns. Here in Georgia, it'd be a justified shoot.

I'm not saying these idiots deserve to get shot, but I'd have a hard time feeling sympathy. Folks need to think before they do things.
 
I was the target of a paintball drive-by courtesy of one of my students several years back. I was carrying at the time and the only reason he didn't get shot was that I was more concerned with seeking cover than with returning fire. All I knew was that someone was shooting at me, it wasn't at all obvious with what. Whether through luck or deliberate aim on his part I was hit in the legs rather than the head, thank goodness.
If the cretins doing this end up getting shot with a real firearm as a result of their activities it will be no more than they deserve.
 
Paintball marker attacks have been considered assault with a dangerous weapon from time to time. I don't know if they're specifically covered under any statutes. I'd certainly agree they are an assault capable of grave bodily injury. That's what I call losing an eye! Although the norm for a close-range hit is a bleeding welt.

Note that in the bad old days, when I used to own a paintball field, it was not unheard of for folks to chill or freeze paintballs. Sure it may crack the ball's gel skin but it'll still fire through many markers and while it won't go splat that's exactly why it hurts more (not distributing impact force over a wide area). That's certainly ADW, even without turning up the velocity past 300 FPS.

While I might be tempted to return fire with a firearm I suspect merely presenting a real weapon will stop most punks with paintball markers. Therein lies the legal hassle of actually shooting him.
 
Actually, I've read of a couple of incidents where drive-by paintball shooters DID get "real" return fire.
Well, in MN losing the sight of one eye would be considered grave bodily harm as my instructor explained it. So one could use deadly force, if you thought they were aiming for the face. I wonder how a jury might decide the case, though?
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Well, on many occasions police have shot people pointing toy guns at them. Granted, LEOs are "special" but if someone is being actually shot at, I think a jury would be sympathetic, if things actually get that far. (especially if the defense could get one or more victims to testify who HAVE lost an eye.)
 
If it was me under attack like that and I was carrying, I would hopefully have the presence of mind to at least first take cover. If I was still being shot at, then drawing my carry gun would be the next step. Guess my thought is that I would risk "brandishing" as my interpretation of being assaulted and then be ready to defend myself.

If the trash that was shooting at me saw the gun and immediately stopped and ran, I would call it a good move and probably let it go at that point. I really don't see some punks complaining to the police that somebody pulled a gun on them while they were shooting paintballs at a paserby.
 
It happened to me

It happened to me last fall on the way home from work. Had the driver's side window rolled part way down, just above eye level, guys drove up to my side , paintball just clipped the top part of the windshield, deflecting up. it would have caught me in the eye. I tried to alert a police cruiser down the road with my lights, and the policeman wouldn't stop for 2 blocks!
 
CannibalCrowley said:
Just a reminder, she wasn't hit by a pepperball. She was struck by a pellet from an FN303 which is fin stabalized and weighted with small shot.
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Wrong it was a pepper ball per the Boston PD. They have been taken out of service.

Shoot at me with a paintball gun when I am not dressed in face mask ect. & not an a feild I will return fire with my Glock. Blinding comes under grevious bodily harm, in fact it is at or near the top catagory of harm.

This taking cover and not being able to shoot does not fly. If you are still being shot at the perp could be manuvering for a better shot at you. Shoot to stop the act.
 
gezzer said:
Wrong it was a pepper ball per the Boston PD. They have been taken out of service.
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Incorrect and unlike you I'll even furnish proof.


Police identify officer who shot pepper-spray pellet that killed celebrating Boston Red Sox fan
"Deputy Superintendent Robert E. O'Toole Jr. authorized the use of the pellet guns known as the FN303, which is made by FN Herstal. He fired the weapons at specific individuals, as did Officers Samil Silta and Milien. Milien's was 25 to 30 feet away from Snelgrove when he shot her."
 
This taking cover and not being able to shoot does not fly...
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Thanks for clearing that up. So, when you are attacked from behind, and already felt one impact on your leg, we can count on you to stay where you are, draw, turn, and attempt to return fire? That would be bad judgement. In fact, it sounds like an excellent way to ensure getting shot several more times with whatever your assailant happens to be firing.
 
gezzer said:
Wrong it was a pepper ball per the Boston PD. They have been taken out of service.

Shoot at me with a paintball gun when I am not dressed in face mask ect. & not an a feild I will return fire with my Glock. Blinding comes under grevious bodily harm, in fact it is at or near the top catagory of harm.

This taking cover and not being able to shoot does not fly. If you are still being shot at the perp could be manuvering for a better shot at you. Shoot to stop the act.
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Wow, we've got an expert in less-lethal munitions and tactics here with us!

Tell you what, you react however you want to and deal with the consequences yourself, and the rest of us will react according to our own instincts and training. Hint: when getting shot at, the first thing you may want to do is put yourself in a position where you can't immediately be shot at some more.
 
Hope they throw the book at these a**hol*s. Our neighborhood had a drive-by paintball shooting a month or two ago...they got about a dozen homes. Luckily it was all washable, and around midnight, so no small kids out on the lawns...but that's little comfort when you see a paintball splatter -- an exploded projectile from a weapon that has, what, almost a third of the velocity of a .45 -- a few inches from your daughters' bedroom window.
 
You couldn't use lethal force against a paintball attack.
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I doubt it. If you can't, you should.

I'm not saying these idiots deserve to get shot,
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I am! What is wrong with people. Do you first have to ask the shooter if he's really shooting paintballs, that they're really only going 300fps, and politly ask him to not shoot you in the face?

The reason things like this happen is because some people seem to find it acceptable.

If I was a victim the first thing I would do was cover my face and take cover. I can't carry (legally).

I'm an avid paintballer, if that makes a difference.
 
CannibalCrowley said:
Just a reminder, she wasn't hit by a pepperball. She was struck by a pellet from an FN303 which is fin stabalized and weighted with small shot.
Click to expand...
Ah, thanks for the correction, my mistake on the misinformation there.


While I've never heard the sound of a paintball gun being fired, I'm going to assume it's pretty loud, and especially the sound of the paintballs smacking into things. I'm sure most would not be able to figure out in a few seconds what is going on around them when they hear impact sounds of the balls hitting. Sure you'll notice the paint left behind, but that might not be till after you have drawn your weapon. In the age of drive by shootings, this only adds to scenarios we have to worry about, and I for one would not be happy to lose an eye over some prank, and those kids/whoever do have it coming, especially in CCW legal Florida.

xenophon
 
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Regarding the FN303, From their website http://www.fnherstal.com/

'Projectiles

The projectiles have been designed especially to break up on impact, eliminating risks of penetrating injuries. Thanks to their fin stabilized design, the projectiles have an effective range of 50m with a much higher hit probability than any other similar product.
The primary effect is trauma : the shock (15J/cm³) directly neutralizes the aggressor. Secondary effects will be delivered by a chemical payload chosen according to the mission requirements

All .68" projectiles have a 8.5g weight, a polystyrene body and a granular non-toxic bismuth forward payload '
 
I tried to alert a police cruiser down the road with my lights, and the policeman wouldn't stop for 2 blocks!
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If you'd honked your horn he would have stopped a lot quicker. Unfortunately you'd have to explain the situation to him while you were being written up for illegal use of your horn. :rolleyes:
 
Considering that super-soakers are rumored to be banned on the streets of Chicago because thugs were loading them with things other than water, (bleach, lye solutions, acid...), is it far from the realm of possibility that .68 caliber projectiles could be carrying something other than vegetable oil?

The FN303 pepper projectiles are just the tip of that "creative" iceberg, I'd think!

First rule of combat: Inbound rounds have the right of way! (Translation: FIND COVER!)
 
Penforhire said:
Paintball marker attacks have been considered assault with a dangerous weapon from time to time. I don't know if they're specifically covered under any statutes. I'd certainly agree they are an assault capable of grave bodily injury. That's what I call losing an eye! Although the norm for a close-range hit is a bleeding welt.
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True, it's unlikely that I'll be killed if I'm hit, but how do I know that when a car slows down, rolls down the window, and points something that
looks exactly like a firearm from a distance at me? I'd have to react in line with what I perceive as happening, which is, "hey, it's a drive-by! And I didn't wear clean undies today!"

I'd hope that taking cover would be an option, or that something would cause me to realize that it's just a paint-ball gun, but once fight/flight kicks in, that's hard to tell.

I don't think any rational jury would convict, either. Whether or not it's CAPABLE of causing lethal harm, the situation is perceived quite understandably as a threat of same.
 
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