Reward offered in paint-ball shooting

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- A national group that represents manufacturers of

paint-ball equipment is offering a reward to anybody with information

about who fired a barrage of paint-ball pellets at a man who was skating

on Back Bay Road on Sunday.

As of Tuesday, police said the victim was still in critical condition

at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo.

The 54-year-old man was struck by paint-ball pellets that were

reportedly fired at him from the bluffs. He fell backward on his head and

broke his skull, officials said.

The Paintball Products Manufacturers Assn. has at least $1,500 in its

reward fund, an amount that is likely to increase, Executive Director

Jessica Sparks said.

“This is a horrible crime,” she said. “And it’s been committed by

people who are misusing sporting equipment our members manufacture. It’s

like using a baseball bat to hurt someone.”

The association has also put out a national alert over the Internet

asking members of the North American paint-ball community to contact law

enforcement officials if they have any information about the incident.

“We just want to do everything we can to help and hope [the victim]

recovers,” Sparks said.

Witnesses told police they saw three “youthful males” with paint-ball

guns in the area about the time the man was found injured. Police are

looking for those men or boys, but no further description is yet

available.

Newport Beach Fire Capt. Steve Bunting, who treated the man at the

scene, said he was afraid the victim “was going to die.”

“This guy was clearly ambushed,” he said. “We counted 18 paint-ball

marks on the ground, three or four on the stop sign nearby and several

others.”

The man was also directly hit by some of the marble-sized pellets,

Bunting said.

“His right eye was hit and was swollen shut the size of a walnut,” he

said.

Bunting said the victim was able to answer some questions, such as who

he was and what day it was, but was vomiting out of control -- a typical

symptom of a serious head injury.

“It’s very sad,” Bunting said. “A helmet may have helped him.”

Detectives are investigating the case and anybody with information is

asked to call (800) 550-6273.

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .