Two men accused of firing paintballs at unsuspecting pedestrians in Worcester are now facing charges.
Officers were called to Main Street around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday for a report of an assault with a dangerous weapon and upon arrival found an elderly woman in her 80s with a walker had been shot in the face by someone wielding a paintball gun.
Her glasses had been knocked off her face and covered in yellow paint but she did not suffer serious injuries.
“Obviously, a very disturbing thing for her, she was shaken up thankfully not hurt, worse than that,” said Sgt. Sean Murtha.
Later, officers once again responded to reports of a man who had also been shot by a person wielding a paintball gun in a blue Ford F150 on Queen Street. He was also not seriously injured.
Officers later spotted the truck traveling on Lincoln Street near the intersection of Goldthwaite Road and said they found two men inside and a black paintball gun in the rear.
“Officers approached the vehicle… they see a paintball gun right behind them, they had yellow paint on their forearms,” Murtha explained.
While officers were speaking with the men, later identified as 21-year-old Sean Pinkham and 18-year-old John Slater, a third victim came forward and reported that the men had just shot paintballs at him on Lincoln Street.
In the last several weeks, there has been a rash of these attacks in Worcester.
Paul LeBlanc said he was hit by the paintballs as well and believes Slater and Pinkham are responsible.
“All of a sudden, I felt a stinging sensation on my mid-thigh, I looked down, I actually mistook it for blood, it was very bright orange,” he said “It’s a little crazy, what if they shoot someone in the eye or hit a woman, give someone a heartattack. It goes beyond a silly prank.”
Both Pinkham and Slater are facing charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a disabled victim.
Pinkham is facing additional charges for driving without a license.
They are both due to face a judge on Thursday.
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