Police: Teens Shoot Guard With Paintball Gun

[UtahProtectionForce]

Police said a Dallas man is under arrest after a security guard claims to have been pelted with paintball pellets.

Police arrested Eliezer Ribeiro, 18, who told NBC 5 that he and his friends were messing around and things got out of hand. He admitted to shooting the security guard who said he was sitting in his car with the window down when he felt a pellet hit his arm.

“It's not normal that you have suspects out there firing their paintball guns at a security officer, even a police officer, so we are definitely thankful that we were able to make the arrest on this individual,” Dallas police’s Jaime Matthews said.

Because the security guard was not seriously hurt, police reduced the charge from felony to misdemeanor assault on a public servant. They also confiscated hundreds of dollars worth of paintball equipment.


http://www.nbc5i.com/news/13415256/detail.html

[bigdog]

Police said a Dallas man is under arrest after a security guard claims to have been pelted with paintball pellets.

Police arrested Eliezer Ribeiro, 18, who told NBC 5 that he and his friends were messing around and things got out of hand. He admitted to shooting the security guard who said he was sitting in his car with the window down when he felt a pellet hit his arm.

“It's not normal that you have suspects out there firing their paintball guns at a security officer, even a police officer, so we are definitely thankful that we were able to make the arrest on this individual,” Dallas police’s Jaime Matthews said.

Because the security guard was not seriously hurt, police reduced the charge from felony to misdemeanor assault on a public servant. They also confiscated hundreds of dollars worth of paintball equipment.


http://www.nbc5i.com/news/13415256/detail.html

I wonder if they would've reduced the charge had it been a law enforcement officer.ALSO last i checked only state attorneys or District attorneys( not sure which one texas has) can reduce charges not the police. I'm waiting for something like that to happen here.

[UtahProtectionForce]

I wonder if they would've reduced the charge had it been a law enforcement officer.ALSO last i checked only state attorneys or District attorneys( not sure which one texas has) can reduce charges not the police. I'm waiting for something like that to happen here.

by doing that reduction of charges... there are almost saying YES IT IS OKAY TO SHOT(with a paintball gun) A SECURITY OFFICER/GUARD. because thats all he is. he is not a civil servant therefore lessor charges are suitable....

[bigdog]

by doing that reduction of charges... there are almost saying YES IT IS OKAY TO SHOT(with a paintball gun) A SECURITY OFFICER/GUARD. because thats all he is. he is not a civil servant therefore lessor charges are suitable....

On that note: Ive had cops tell me while im on duty,they don't want to charge a person with battery because I have no marks. Yet they will charge battery for anyone else who claims they were struck, all they have to do is fill out a victims statement and off to jail they go. Kind of a double standard when security is involved.

[Black Caesar]

I wonder if they would've reduced the charge had it been a law enforcement officer.ALSO last i checked only state attorneys or District attorneys( not sure which one texas has) can reduce charges not the police. I'm waiting for something like that to happen here.

Dallas PD didn't reduce any charges, the original charge was assault, a class A Misdemeanor (there is no "misdemeanor assault of a public servant", assaulting a public servant or security officer is a 3rd degree felony). The arresting officer considered laying the heavier charge, but decided against it. Remember that the people doing the reporting are reporters who use terms incorrectly.

And would they use the lesser charge if it were a police officer? 2 years ago 2 plain clothes Dallas PD officers chased a guy onto my campus. The guy kicked one of the Dallas officers in the shin and the guy was arrested for fleeing, theft by check, trespassing (our charge, he of course had no business on campus lol) and assault of a public servant. The ADA in charge of the case (btw she's a former deputy sheriff, and one of the prettiest ladies ever) reduced the assault charge to misdemeanor assault because (according to her) "the kick didn't even make a bruise, and his public defender could argue it was unintentional"........

So, the answer is "yea, they might reduce the charge if it was a cop".....

[Mr. Security]

I guess there are a number of factors to weigh in deciding on a charge. Age, prior record, attitude, etc. Hopefully the victim is consulted as well. Still, I'm leery of this case because our job can be dangerous enough w/o adding this kind of threat. Thankfully he didn't lose an eye.

[Hospital Security Dude]

This nutsack is lucky he didn't get return fire