Chicago Man’s ‘Prank’ Of Shooting People With Paintball Gun Backfires When He’s Shot For Real

Chicago, IL – We probably shouldn’t have to say “don’t go around shooting people with a paintball gun in one of the most violent cities in America,” but here we go. Don’t go around shooting people with a paintball gun in one of the most violent cities in America.

That slice of free advice comes courtesy of a 21-year-old Chicagoan who thought it would be funny to run around the city on Halloween night and shoot at random people with his paintball gun. The problem with this is two-fold: One, as a prank, it’s in very poor taste. More people died in Chicago in gun-related crimes last year than in Afghanistan during the same period, and the violence shows little sign of slowing down this year.

Second, you never know if you’re actually shooting at or near someone who actually has a gun and is willing to shoot right back with real bullets.

That’s exactly what happened to the unnamed paintball prankster. He was shot in the shoulder.

He’ll be fine. He was taken to Saint Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center in good condition shortly after he was hit. But he, and his partner (yeah, there were two) will very likely face charges.

Andrew Holmes of the Chicago Police News Affairs said that he has warned citizens against paintball pranksters who apparently like to post videos of their escapades on the Internet.

“We don’t believe in retaliation, but this is the end result that would have happened. You discharge a weapon at someone, then they discharge a real one at you,” Holmes told reporters.

Additionally, paintballs hurt.

CBS 2 interviewed a woman who was actually hit in the face by one of them, and that she managed to get away before another group (with real guns) opened fire.

“It hurt so bad,” she said of her injury.

Yes, yes it does.