Two men were arrested in a string of paintball shootings in Waterbury, including one that seriously injured a girl's eye, police said.
Demaine Brocket, 28, and Benjamin Estrella, 26, face assault and risk of injury charges.
Both suspects are accused of shooting multiple people and damaging property with paintball guns, police said. There were at least a dozen reported paintball shootings in Waterbury recently, according to police.
People have been cruising around opening fire with paintballs, police said.
“I’m very upset about that. I mean Waterbury is a nice place to live," Ana Valentin, of Waterbury, said. "That’s ridiculous I don’t know who in their right minds would be like that.”
In one of the incidents, a girl, whose age was not disclosed, was struck by paintball fire in Harris Circle, according to police. Other paintball shootings happened in the neighborhood of Willow Street, Brookside Avenue and Bunker Hill, police said.
A deliveryman who did not want to go on camera told NBC Connecticut he had just been hit Saturday night.
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“It’s a shame nowadays kids find entertainment in a harmful way," Leticia Portalatin, of Torrington, said.
Waterbury officers confiscated four paintball guns this week.
Estrella and Brocket were released after posting their $50,000 bonds.
Portalatin said in response to their arrest, "“That’s awesome because I hope, you know, they get what they deserve.”
Police think there might be more suspects out there.
Neighbors are concerned there might be more vandalism, especially with Halloween coming up this week.
“I’m kind of worried about it," Valentin said. "I’m definitely going to be looking out for my car and everything else with Halloween season, it’s crazy.”
Estrella has served jail time before after shooting another man three time with a pistol, police said. He was also arrested this past August after drunkenly firing a gun in a housing projects parking lot, according to police.
Police ask anyone with information on the paintball shootings to call detectives at 203-574-6941 or to leave a confidential tip on the Crime Stoppers line at 203-755-1234.
