In a string of attacks that left Worcester residents splattered in paint, two suspects have been nabbed by local police after alleged paintball assaults. As the Worcester Police Department reported that on February 9, multiple pedestrians complained of being shot at by individuals in a gray Honda Civic. Victims were left marked by paint, describing incidents where the car pulled up close before they found themselves under a barrage of paintballs. Officers promptly responded with a be-on-the-lookout (BOLO) alert for the vehicle, using information provided by those on the receiving end of the paintball shots.
The pursuit of the suspects came to a head early the next day. At around midnight, a dedicated After Hours patrol officer spied a vehicle fitting the description, speeding from Pleasant to Hudson St. The officer, following cautiously behind, confirmed that the speeding vehicle bore the same license plate number provided by earlier victims. Despite activating his blue lights on Townsend St, as the officer attempted a vehicle stop, a male suspect dashed from the gray Honda and made a run toward Pleasant St. Fleeing from the law, he was soon apprehended and found to be a mere sixteen years old.
Meanwhile, the driver, a nineteen-year-old named David Asemani from Standish St, didn't make a run for it. However, it turned out he was steering the car with a suspended license. At the scene, police discovered a paintball gun within the maw of the Civic, laying bare the tools of their misadventure. Asemani, along with the sixteen-year-old who attempted to escape on foot, now face several charges. The duo is accused of multiple counts of Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, reflecting the nature of their paint-spattered crusade against unsuspecting pedestrians.
Residents and local authorities alike have expressed relief at the apprehension of the suspects. These incidents add to a growing concern over reckless and irresponsible behavior by youths in the community, wielding weapons designed for sport as tools of harassment and fear. With the paintball gun secured and the alleged perpetrators awaiting their day in court, Worcester can hope for a reprieve from such capricious displays of delinquency. The Worcester Police Department has yet to release any further details about the motivations behind the assaults or about the condition of the victims post-ordeal.
