Posted on 04/07/2002 8:19:48 AM PDT by pa_dweller
A teenager was arrested Friday as a suspect in the shooting of a 21-year-old man after a paintball incident in Lakewood.
Michael Barttels, 16, was being held Friday in the Jefferson County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, assault and juvenile possession of a hand gun, among other charges, said police spokeswoman Stacie Oulton.
Barttels bond was set at $250,000.
Police said Barttels shot Jeremiah Witherwax, 21, in the head Monday night after Witherwax shot at Barttels with a paintball gun from a passing pickup truck in the 800 block of Oak Street.
A second juvenile may also face charges in the case, Oulton said.
Witherwax was in fair condition Friday at St. Anthony's Central Hospital.
A paintball gun can cause disfiguring or blinding injuries if shot at a person's unprotected head. Anyone who is shot at by a stranger may reasonably fear that that person will fire a head shot (since the stranger has already shown a complete disregard for paintball safety). As such, it would seem that an unprovoked paintball attack should qualify as a threat of severe bodily harm meriting the use of deadly force in self-defense.
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