6 Arrested In String Of Paintball Attacks Across Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Six people have been arrested arrested in connection with a string of paintball attacks that have been happening across Chicago, police announced Friday night.
Officers responded to a call of a group of men shooting at people with paintball guns. Officers arrived and arrested six people -- five men and one woman -- and seized an SUV, five paintball guns and several canisters, police said.
Police said Friday someone lost an eye in an attack Thursday night. In the last 24 hours, the complaints coming in to 911 soared.
"There's nothing fun about this. Let's be clear about this," said CPD Deputy Chief Ernesto Cato. "My heart goes out to these individuals just standing on the bus stop. The person who lost his eye yesterday, we take this very serious."
In other recent incidents, people were targeted in West Town, West Englewood and on the Near West Side.
CBS 2 talked with some of the victims, who described the fear and believe that the attackers targeted their faces.
"Someone yelling, 'Hey man!' Then I looked over and they started shooting me in the face," said victim Chris Trani.
CPD said in October alone 125 attacks were reported. Police insist they have been working the case, and Friday night through surveillance detail were able to arrest five men and a woman. Police believe others are connected to the paintball attacks across Chicago.
"They're weapons. It's a malicious act," said Cato.
As adult and children venture out for Halloween, police are asking those walk to stay alert, but they are also sending a warning to anyone else riding around firing paintballs in what they think is a prank.
"We are focused on this," Cato said. "We're going to treat these paint guns like they're regulars guns, like they're real bullets."
The six adults will likely be charged with battery.
