M
Michael Gross
Guest
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local-beat/LGBT-Center-Targeted-in-Paintball-Attack-114576974.html
San Diego police are investigating one in a series of drive-by paintball
attacks as a hate crime.
Police received reports of three attacks in the North Park and Hillcrest
area Monday night involving a dark sedan with as many as three people
shooting paintballs at passersby.
In an attack at the San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Community Center at University Avenue and Center Street around 9:30
p.m., the suspects were heard yelling anti-gay slurs out the window.
âThe passenger had a gun of some kind in his hand and I heard just one
pop after another go off,â said Raymond Penko.
Penko was standing in the parking lot outside The Center with five other
people when the suspectsâ car drove by. He was hit in the head and the
leg with paintballs and saw one of his friends hit in the forehead.
He said at first he thought he was being shot by bullets and described
it as the most frightening display of hate he's every experienced.
âIt scared the hell out of me,â Penko said.
Two other similar incidents were reported around 10:30 p.m. police said.
One was reported at 30th and Howard. Another incident was reported in
the 4100 block of Idaho.
Police say they're investigating the one incident here in Hillcrest as a
hate crime -- but so far, not the other two.
San Diego police are investigating one in a series of drive-by paintball
attacks as a hate crime.
Police received reports of three attacks in the North Park and Hillcrest
area Monday night involving a dark sedan with as many as three people
shooting paintballs at passersby.
In an attack at the San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Community Center at University Avenue and Center Street around 9:30
p.m., the suspects were heard yelling anti-gay slurs out the window.
âThe passenger had a gun of some kind in his hand and I heard just one
pop after another go off,â said Raymond Penko.
Penko was standing in the parking lot outside The Center with five other
people when the suspectsâ car drove by. He was hit in the head and the
leg with paintballs and saw one of his friends hit in the forehead.
He said at first he thought he was being shot by bullets and described
it as the most frightening display of hate he's every experienced.
âIt scared the hell out of me,â Penko said.
Two other similar incidents were reported around 10:30 p.m. police said.
One was reported at 30th and Howard. Another incident was reported in
the 4100 block of Idaho.
Police say they're investigating the one incident here in Hillcrest as a
hate crime -- but so far, not the other two.