Connecticut police plead for end to paintball gun battles

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. | Fri Sep 30, 2016 | 12:20pm EDT

Connecticut police plead for end to paintball gun battles

Police in New Haven, Connecticut, on Friday pleaded for an end to a spate of battles with paintball and BB guns on city streets in broad daylight, warning they had received more than a dozen 911 calls from residents who believed the weapons were real.

While the guns involved were not lethal, police said they were difficult for residents to differentiate from actual firearms, noting that one woman made a frantic call to report two gangs battling with assault rifles on her street.

"We're trying to avert a tragedy," said Assistant Chief Achilles Generoso in a statement on Friday. "The effort to stop this is a top priority for our department."

The United States has been rocked over the past two years by a long series of police shootings of unarmed black men and boys, some of which involved toy guns or items that police mistakenly believed were guns.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-connecticut-police-paintball-idUSKCN12026X

[dhol82]

1. I thought paintball was played in private compounds

Playing it on city streets is awful!
How can you tell it's not a real gang war? Somebody is going to get hurt, sure as shooting.

[Wounded Bear]

3. It should be...

That shouldn't be happening in public spaces. While the pellets might not be "lethal" they can do some injury, especially to a bystander that won't even have on any of the protective gear.

[ripcord]

4. Not to mention the damage

The paintballs can cause to windows and cars.

[irisblue]

2. .

what a bunch of foolish asses

[Eleanors38]

5. Reminds me of the Journalists' Guide to Firearms Identification.