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Paintball shooting incident update
Denver Post ^ | Wednesday, April 10, 2002 | Compiled from Denver Post staff and wire reports

Posted on 04/12/2002 4:32:35 PM PDT by pa_dweller

2nd teen arrested in shooting

Lakewood police have arrested a second teen in connection with the shooting of a man who was firing paintballs at pedestrians.

The 16-year-old boy was arrested at his home Tuesday on charges of being an accessory to attempted murder, juvenile possession of a handgun and first-degree burglary in the gun's theft from a home.

Police on Friday arrested Michael Barttels, 16, the suspected gunman. Investigators believe Barttels and the other teenager were walking in the 800 block of Oak Street on April 1 when a group of pranksters shot at them with paintballs.

Barttels fired back with a handgun, police say, hitting Jeremiah Witherwax, 21, in the head. Witherwax is expected to recover.


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: juvenilecrime; paintball; selfdefense
Original post

1st update

the gun's theft from a home

A troubling turn in this strange story. One thing I'm waiting to find out, and probably won't, unless there are pictures someday, is the race/ethnic background of all involved.

1 posted on 04/12/2002 4:32:35 PM PDT by pa_dweller
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To: pa_dweller
would you return fire if someone hit you with a paintball?
...okay, a water balloon? um, rubber band?

otoh, would you be stupid enough to fire paintballs at strangers?
sheesh. i swear there's no intelligent life east of the wasatch mountains.

...or west of reno, well, except Grampa Dave, Tonk and Snow Bunny and Jim and John and, well, nevermind.

2 posted on 04/12/2002 6:54:32 PM PDT by glock rocks
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To: glock rocks
would you return fire if someone hit you with a paintball?

A paintball fired at a person's unprotected head has a significant likelihood of causing permanent disfiguring and/or blinding injuries. Such injuries would meet the standard of "severe bodily harm" required in many states for use of lethal force in self-defense.

3 posted on 04/13/2002 3:40:04 PM PDT by supercat
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