HPD books three teenage suspects for involvement in paintball ‘shooting spree’

Mario Zucca

Eight people reported being shot with paintballs over five days in late December.

By Erin Ryan

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012 | 3:12 p.m.

Last week, three local teenagers went for a ride with the Henderson Police Department. They weren’t working on a school project; they were being booked on multiple counts of conspiracy and discharging a weapon where a person might be endangered. Described by police as a “shooting spree,” the attacks fortunately involved a gun that fires paintballs instead of bullets. Over five days in late December, eight people reported being shot in separate incidents, escalating from standard drive-bys to a ploy of asking for directions in order to nail victims in the head and eyes at close range. One ended up in the hospital. Police tracked down the alleged getaway car, which had a paintball gun in the trunk. “The three suspects did not have any reason for the attacks and did not know any of the victims,” police say. Just your average holiday break involving totally random thuggery. I’m tempted to ask if the car is a teal sedan. Two friends and I jogged past one recently, its passenger hurling a full soda (maybe urine) can at us, full force. Violence is scary. Violence without a shred of motive is particularly disturbing, especially if it’s spurred by simple boredom. Get a hobby, punks, before you become something worse.