Spate Of Paintball Attacks, Largely In Downtown Area, Leaves Victims Petrified
CHICAGO (CBS) -- What started as a paintball attack ended in a wild chase through the city this week.
CBS 2's Jermont Terry tracked down one victim, who caught it all on video.
The man, named Armen, was sitting in his car, when out of nowhere, someone sprayed his car with paintballs. But little did the guys touting the paintball gun know Armen had a camera mounted to his dash.
It documented a wild chase through the streets of downtown Chicago as the Armen followed a white sport-utility vehicle. It all started when he was caught off guard at the corner of Ontario Street and McClurg Court in Streeterville.
"As I looked straight ahead, I saw a person hanging out of the window holding a rifle-style paintball gun," Armen said.
And the SUV raced down the street.
"I could see the shadows of four people in the car," Armen said.
In disbelief, Armen decided to follow in an effort to get a license plate. He also quickly called 911.
The entire 15-minute encounter was caught on his dascham, as he called police to report that a white Chevrolet with Florida plates was pointing a paintball gun out the window and driving recklessly.
But it turned out that before those in the SUV sprayed Armen's car, they pulled up and aimed their paint gun right at another man waiting to cross Ohio Street at Fairbanks Court.
"I was about to move like this, and I was hit firstly on the head, then on the hand," that man said. "I still have the marks."
The man was left with an ugly scar on the side of his head where the paintball landed. He said if he hadn't turned, he thinks he would have been hit in the eye.
That man called Chicago Police.
"They told me that it's happening now – there's a lot," he said.
In fact, police report four different incidents in 24 hours of people getting hit by paintballs, mostly in the downtown area. It's leaving victims petrified.
"It's so random – they're randomly hitting everyone," the man who was hit in the head said.
"I think every human has the capacity to understand this is not just a joke, and this is very serious," Armen added.
The SUV did get away. We should stress also that police do not recommend anyone following a vehicle. You should simply call 911.
