Elderly Priest Shot With Paintball Gun In Church Parking Lot: 'Could Have Ended Worse'

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A longtime Chicago priest says a recent paintball attack is not easy to talk about, but he wanted people to see the pain and frustration something like it can cause.

The 72-year-old still hurting from two circular bruises on his stomach -- telltale signs of a paintball attack. "It's important to show this to tell people it is not a game that they're doing," he told WBBM-TV in Chicago.

Reverend Father Primo Racimo walked us through how he was shot yesterday in broad daylight in the St Margaret Espiscopal Church parking lot. "He was parked right here," he said pointing to the parking spot.

He says a man attending a funeral at a church across the street refused to move out of the permit-only lot. Father Racimo went to take a picture of the man's license plate then walked away. "And then I heard a shot."

He turned around to take another picture - then was shot again. "And then I fell here," he said pointing to the sidewalk in front of the parking lot.

The shooter got away. Pink paint was splattered on his clothes. Chicago Police arrived later. An officer told him he was lucky. "Because he said if it was closer, it might have penetrated your stomach," he said.

Paintball attacks can be serious, even blind people. Around this time last fall, it became a real problem in Chicago. Officers confiscated guns and arrested six people. This year as a whole, there have already been several attacks.

The priest's ordeal makes clear people are armed and ready to possibly keep doing it. "Don't take any chances with this. Don't play with it that's as simple as I can say," said Father Racimo.

After this attack, the church security is looking at installing security cameras.