http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_city/20030813paintball0813p5.asp
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
By Nate Guidry, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Three teens with paint-ball guns terrorized children in a small playground in Garfield yesterday afternoon, but two of them ended up shot for real when they then aimed their paint balls at another group of people. Two of the teens also were arrested for drug possession.
Tracy Smedley 19, and a 17-year-old identified only as Ronald were at UPMC Presbyterian last night with gunshot wounds. When they were apprehended, Smedley was carrying heroin and the third teen, Trai Wilson, 18, had crack cocaine and was charged with possession.
All three will also be a cited for carrying loaded paint-ball guns in the vehicle. Except for Smedley, police do not think the names the teens gave are correct.
At around 4 p.m., Pittsburgh police Lt. Philip Dacey said, the three teens, armed with paint-ball guns and wearing helmets and paint-ball vests, drove down North Evaline Street in a white Ford. When they got to Broad Street, they began to pepper the small playground there with paint balls, striking several youngsters.
At that point, Dacey said, the teens turned left on Broad, drove down the street and opened fire on another group of people.
Dacey said one teen told him the trio then turned around and went back to tell the people it was only paint, when someone in the group opened fire with a real gun, riddling the driver's side of the car with more than a dozen bullets.
Dacey said Smedley was shot in the left arm and Ronald was struck in the buttocks. The teens then drove themselves to West Penn Hospital and the two were later transported to UPMC Presbyterian, he said.
A witness, who wanted to be identified only as John, said he phoned 911 after he saw the teens open fire on the playground with the paint balls.
"It sounded like a machine gun," he said. "There were many kids playing in the park. After they finished shooting, the vehicle turned left on Broad. I was on the phone with 911 when I heard the shots from a real gun. Then I saw the vehicle speeding down Broad."
When the teens started spraying the playground with paint balls, 12-year-old Satera Smalls, who was shot in the thigh of her left leg, said she was on the swings.
"I saw the car creeping toward the park," she said. "Then I heard the shots and I ran toward the slide. I felt a sting in my leg and after a few moments it stopped hurting."
Satera, who said there were more than 20 children in the park when the shooting began, said the same vehicle had been circling the park on Monday.
"I'm afraid to let her go back to the park now," said her mother, Cynthia Smalls. "This makes me very upset."
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
By Nate Guidry, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Three teens with paint-ball guns terrorized children in a small playground in Garfield yesterday afternoon, but two of them ended up shot for real when they then aimed their paint balls at another group of people. Two of the teens also were arrested for drug possession.
Tracy Smedley 19, and a 17-year-old identified only as Ronald were at UPMC Presbyterian last night with gunshot wounds. When they were apprehended, Smedley was carrying heroin and the third teen, Trai Wilson, 18, had crack cocaine and was charged with possession.
All three will also be a cited for carrying loaded paint-ball guns in the vehicle. Except for Smedley, police do not think the names the teens gave are correct.
At around 4 p.m., Pittsburgh police Lt. Philip Dacey said, the three teens, armed with paint-ball guns and wearing helmets and paint-ball vests, drove down North Evaline Street in a white Ford. When they got to Broad Street, they began to pepper the small playground there with paint balls, striking several youngsters.
At that point, Dacey said, the teens turned left on Broad, drove down the street and opened fire on another group of people.
Dacey said one teen told him the trio then turned around and went back to tell the people it was only paint, when someone in the group opened fire with a real gun, riddling the driver's side of the car with more than a dozen bullets.
Dacey said Smedley was shot in the left arm and Ronald was struck in the buttocks. The teens then drove themselves to West Penn Hospital and the two were later transported to UPMC Presbyterian, he said.
A witness, who wanted to be identified only as John, said he phoned 911 after he saw the teens open fire on the playground with the paint balls.
"It sounded like a machine gun," he said. "There were many kids playing in the park. After they finished shooting, the vehicle turned left on Broad. I was on the phone with 911 when I heard the shots from a real gun. Then I saw the vehicle speeding down Broad."
When the teens started spraying the playground with paint balls, 12-year-old Satera Smalls, who was shot in the thigh of her left leg, said she was on the swings.
"I saw the car creeping toward the park," she said. "Then I heard the shots and I ran toward the slide. I felt a sting in my leg and after a few moments it stopped hurting."
Satera, who said there were more than 20 children in the park when the shooting began, said the same vehicle had been circling the park on Monday.
"I'm afraid to let her go back to the park now," said her mother, Cynthia Smalls. "This makes me very upset."
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