A pedestrian was struck multiple times by a gel blaster gun in Sutton Coldfield, with one shot landing just millimetres from the victim's eye. The incident occurred at the junction of Manor Road and Brassington Avenue, near the roundabout by the Bottle of Sack pub, on Monday, June 8.
Details of the Attack
The 21-year-old victim was walking in Manor Drive towards the pub when a man in a van travelling in the opposite direction opened fire. A volley of four or five shots were fired at around 12:50pm. One gel ball hit his eye socket, while others struck his face. The van then drove off down Brassington Avenue.
Victim's Account
The victim's partner told BirminghamLive that the shots were initially thought to have come from a paint gun but were later believed to have been from a gel blaster gun. These devices are used as leisure items but require protective eyewear. The partner said: "The van was coming off the roundabout going towards Brassington Avenue. My partner was walking towards the Bottle of Sack. Someone in the white van used a gel blaster and shot at him. He was scared and texted me and told me what happened. I said 'it was a good thing it didn't hit your eye', and he said 'it did, it hit the eye socket'. Luckily, it didn't hit him straight in the eye but on the bone. They don't explode when they hit. They are quite solid rubber, translucent balls."
Description of Suspect and Vehicle
The vehicle involved is believed to have been a white Renault Kangoo. The suspect was described as chubby, mixed race, and in his mid to late 20s. The victim took photos of the van as it drove away and submitted them to the police. Officers were due to speak with him further.
Police Statement
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "We received a report of a paintball gun being fired in the face of a man, at around 12.50pm on Manor Road, Sutton Coldfield, on Monday, June 8. Officers have spoken with the victim who informed us there were thankfully no injuries sustained. Anyone who witnessed the incident can contact us via Live Chat on our website or by calling 101 quoting crime reference number 20/282330/26."
The incident was also posted on Facebook, sparking replies (since deleted) detailing similar incidents in Sutton that day and the previous day.
