Recent victim wants to see end of paintball shootouts

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has received more than 150 calls since the beginning of the year involving paintball gun complaints.

The people victimized by paintball wars are sick of it.

Robert Hearn said he was victim of a paintball shootout.

[Paintball shooters say it's just a game: 'We're not doing anything violent']

[Police, homeowners angered by Charlotte paintball wars]

[CMPD warns of paintball war dangers: 'Somebody is really going to get hurt']

He said he was driving on Commonwealth Avenue in Charlotte on Saturday morning heading toward Briar Creek Road when he said someone hit his car with a paintball and sped away.

"We was at the red light maybe three seconds, a truck went by, and that's when it happened,” Hearn said. "I saw a female stick a paintball gun out the window and shot the side of the car. I tried to follow them. They got on Independence, going, I guess, towards uptown."

Hearn said he wasn't able to get a license plate number, but there isn't any major damage and he was able to wipe the paint off.

At the time, though, he said he couldn’t tell what was being fired at him.

“I thought it was real at first,” Hearn said. “For a split second, it scared me."

Paintball wars have been gaining national traction since the beginning of the year.

Hearn said that after his car was hit by paintballs, he found a post on social media of a Charlotte woman who was shot in the back while tending her yard.

"That's not cool,” Hearn said. “It's childish anyway, but I'm glad she didn't get hurt worse."

Police have received many calls and filed dozens of reports of people shooting paintballs at homes, cars, children and animals.

Hearn said he didn't feel it was necessary to file a police report.

"Someone’s going to end up wrecking,” Hearn said. “Something's going to end up happening."

CMPD has received tips about paintball shooters. They are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers.

Earlier this month, Chopper 9 Skyzoom captured two adults in a shootout in the middle of rush hour traffic.

The culprits told Channel 9 they are sending a message for people to stop using real guns.

Cox Media Group