AO the Paintball Industry Needs Your Help With the Attack in LA

[Croix71]

I'm sure the laws for having a paintball gun is different in every state but what are the different laws out there?

Is it something like when your carrying a fire arm, you have to have it under lock and key while transporting it?

[Vegeta]

That is just sick.
THe media needs to know that there people ARE NOT part of the paintball community. We have had this discussion before. It's much like firearms. Millions of Americans go hunting with their firearms every year. Mostlikely, 0.0001% of them actually use them to kill people. In paintball, millions of people go out and use their markers to play the GAME. Yet some people DON'T play the game... at all... they just bought the markers to shoot things. These people are NOT part of our sport and, in my opinion, need to be severly punished for their crimes. I don't live anywhere in CA, but if I did, man I dunno what I'd do. If you really think your niehbor, classmate, friend, or jsut some guy you see at the field did this, or could have done this, confront them. in front of a large crowd of people if possible. Just get the word out. If you are to afraid to say something, and you are almost sure you know who did it, talk to the autorities. I know some AOers don't like the authorites too much, but when it comes down to doing your part to save our sport, or having hte police discover all those built up parking tickets of yours, well, you know what to do.

[Shingo]

Hey Tom,
You think AO can start a fundraiser to help out this guy?

-Shingo-

[shartley]

Shingo
Please go read your OTHER post about this.

[Shingo]

Thanks Shartley. I've read the post.

-Shingo-

[zjnelson1975]

Players wishing to donate may mail contributions to:
First Western Bank
Attn: Gary Holdren Fund
2722 W. Walnut
Rogers, AR 72756
Hey guys I found this on the warpig websight

[JJBrookshire]

Fund Info is on AO as Well

See "Gary Holdren Fund"

[Norric]

Well I think its very unfortunate that this happened and I hope they nab them for it.. as for extent of the law or as for convictions... well I can say that whatever they get is whatever they get because if they were throwing rocks off of the cliff I know a couple of kids that were tried as adults because it did get someone killed in a very similar situation. Even teenagers have an Idea of right and wrong even if the man was bullying them.

But then again I have to blame the main stream retailers aka walie world. I know that some of the local "attacks" with convictions have been performed in my own home city were used with guns from retail outlets and paint from the same place. But its still a crime what these people are doing to our sport.

Looking at the skater though was he wearing a helmit? We are required to wear protectiave gear for the risk of eye damage and even worse..

I don't think that we should take any case of assault with markers and i hope we nail the twerps.

[shartley]

http://www.latimes.com/tcn/pilot/new...642mar27.story

I wish I could find all the links I had when I first heard about this incident. The victim is a well off, well liked man with very little family. His situation is not one which sounds like it requires financial aid, but the reward being offered for helping apprehend the criminals with the paint guns seems right. This is a case of criminal action. If you feel you need to donate money because of this incident donate to the reward fund, the police department or the DA's Office. Or better yet, donate to your local agencies - a strong community is the best way to prevent future incidents like this.

[shartley]

Norric

Looking at the skater though was he wearing a helmit? We are required to wear protectiave gear for the risk of eye damage and even worse..

Well according to the Fire Cpt. that responded.... NO. He was NOT wearing a helmet.

By Deepa Bharath
NEWPORT BEACH -- A national group that represents manufacturers of paint-ball equipment is offering a reward to anybody with information about who fired a barrage of paint-ball pellets at a man who was skating on Back Bay Road on Sunday.

As of Tuesday, police said the victim was still in critical condition at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo.

The 54-year-old man was struck by paint-ball pellets that were reportedly fired at him from the bluffs. He fell backward on his head and broke his skull, officials said. The Paintball Products Manufacturers Assn. has at least $1,500 in its reward fund, an amount that is likely to increase, Executive Director Jessica Sparks said.

"This is a horrible crime," she said. "And it's been committed by people who are misusing sporting equipment our members manufacture. It's like using a baseball bat to hurt someone."

The association has also put out a national alert over the Internet asking members of the North American paint-ball community to contact law enforcement officials if they have any information about the incident.

"We just want to do everything we can to help and hope [the victim] recovers," Sparks said.

Witnesses told police they saw three "youthful males" with paint-ball guns in the area about the time the man was found injured. Police are looking for those men or boys, but no further description is yet available.

Newport Beach Fire Capt. Steve Bunting, who treated the man at the scene, said he was afraid the victim "was going to die."

"This guy was clearly ambushed," he said. "We counted 18 paint-ball marks on the ground, three or four on the stop sign nearby and several others."

The man was also directly hit by some of the marble-sized pellets, Bunting said.

"His right eye was hit and was swollen shut the size of a walnut," he said.

Bunting said the victim was able to answer some questions, such as who he was and what day it was, but was vomiting out of control -- a typical symptom of a serious head injury.

"It's very sad," Bunting said. "A helmet may have helped him."

Detectives are investigating the case and anybody with information is asked to call (800) 550-6273.

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected] .

Just answering someone's question..... which seems to be lost in all of this....

[Vegeta]

The matter of if he was wearing a helmet or not. I haev not read up on the entire story, nor who the man really was, but I see him as a older man, out on his roller blades getting excercise. Every neighborhood has one of these people... you know... they run or jog or skate every morning or so... wearing a blue and purple windbreaker suit... So I see this guy, on his usual route, out getting excercise. He isn't wearing a helmet becuase hes probably a pretty good skater and doesn't go very fast anyways. No one would really expected getting shot up when they are out getting excercise right? I mean this poor guy probably never knew what paintball was, and had never been shot by one before. Now these kids prolly hit him a good 20 times total... there were three... I probably couldn't keep my balance on roller blades while getting pelted like htat, let alone this guy, in his 50's, or 60's...Even if he would have had a helmet on, he probably would have broken or damaged something else anyways.

I saw that Jessica Sparks (editor of APG..) said:

"This is a horrible crime," she said. "And it's been committed by people who are misusing sporting equipment our members manufacture. It's like using a baseball bat to hurt someone."

Thats what needs to get out. things like that need to be said on TV and in the papers. Im still disgusted and what these people are doing. Every day this kind of thing happens, not quite this bad though. And every day paintball gets a worse name for itself. And every day companies lose 200, 300, 400 dolllars or more becuase people are deterred from buying the markers and the equipment. Its disgusting.

[JJBrookshire]

"Wally World"

It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of the past shootings that have raised the most attention were committed using equipment not available at mainstream retailers. I say "unfortunate" because this indicates that these were committed by people familiar with paintball. The most publicized of these occurred in the LA area around 1997 and the criminals videotaped their shooting spree (which began as a baseball batting spree). These idiots purchased their markers from an on-line source and their paintballs at a pro-shop.

[Riotz]

You should wear a helmet, elbow and knee protection when you go roller-blading. As Tom said earlier, his head injuries were caused not by the paintballs but because he slipped and hit his head.

If he was wearing protective gear, as most states require, his injuries would have been less.

After all, he could have been hit by a car, bus, or just fell.

[Paintchucker]

Get over the dang helmet...

This is a sad event!

It is a shame when people abuse other people! These idiots should be removed from the gene pool, as they have demonstrated they are incapable of adding to it in a positive manner...

But why is everyone carrying on about the helmet? Did you not see the news article?

http://www.latimes.com/tcn/pilot/news/la-dp0029642mar27.story

Newport Beach Fire Capt. Steve Bunting, who treated the man at the scene, said he was afraid the victim "was going to die."

"This guy was clearly ambushed," he said. "We counted 18 paint-ball marks on the ground, three or four on the stop sign nearby and several others."

The man was also directly hit by some of the marble-sized pellets, Bunting said.

"His right eye was hit and was swollen shut the size of a walnut," he said.

[shartley]

Paintchucker