Suspect Arrested In Point-Blank Paintball Attack On 14-Year-Old
PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - A Paterson man is under arrest for allegedly blasting a 14-year-old at point-blank range with a paintball gun, sending him to the hospital with more than a dozen welts all over his body.
Edwin Perez, 21, is accused of opening fire on the boy as he opened the front door to his home.
"He just started, shooting out of nowhere," Bryan's mother Carolina Vasquez told CBS2's Marc Liverman. "There's like 25 wounds, my son has."
The attack happened around 7 p.m. Monday at their home on 11th Avenue in Paterson. Perez allegedly knocked on the door, opened fire when the boy answered, and then walked away.
Perez surrendered to police Thursday morning. He's charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child.
"He left walking like nothing after he did this," Carolina Vasquez said.
The 14-year-old was rushed by ambulance to the hospital, where he spent the night. He recognized Perez as the older brother of one of his classmates.
He doesn't know why he was targeted and is so traumatized he doesn't want to show his face.
His mother says her entire family was living in fear the suspect would return and hurt them. Today's arrest gives them some peace of mind.
If convicted of the most serious charge, Perez could face 5-10 years in prison.