A 14-year-old boy is facing serious charges after Annapolis police say he shot an adult man in the face with a paintball gun yesterday afternoon.
The incident unfolded around 5:10 p.m. in the 600 block of Admiral Drive, where neighbors reported people firing paintball markers in the neighborhood. Officers who responded found the teen near the intersection of Admiral Drive and Jennifer Road. Police say the adult victim later identified the youth at the scene, and the teen was taken into custody. County officials report he has been charged with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and additional counts.
What police say
According to Fox Baltimore, Anne Arundel County officers were called out after multiple reports of people shooting paintball guns in the area. The outlet reports that officers found a 14-year-old holding a paintball marker and "acting in a disorderly manner," and that the victim positively identified him at the scene.
The department publicly announced the arrest on Monday and said the investigation is still active, leaving the door open for additional details or charges as the case moves forward.
Paintball shots to the face can cause serious injury
Medical experts note that a high-velocity paintball strike to the face, particularly the eye, can cause severe trauma, including corneal damage, retinal tears, and permanent vision loss. The Cleveland Clinic notes that sports-related eye injuries often require urgent medical evaluation and that major medical groups recommend protective eyewear for activities involving fast-moving projectiles.
That risk of serious eye and facial injury is a key reason authorities are treating this incident as an assault rather than a harmless prank.
Charges and next steps
The teen faces first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and other charges, according to Fox Baltimore. Prosecutors will decide whether the case stays in juvenile court or is transferred to adult court. Maryland law allows some serious offenses involving youths as young as 14 to be handled in the adult system.
A report from the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services outlines the mechanisms and criteria that can move a young person’s case into adult court for certain serious alleged crimes.
Where the case fits in county data
Anne Arundel County publishes annual crime data that tracks shooting events and other violent offenses and explains how incidents are classified and updated as investigations develop. The county’s 2025 end-of-year report describes the police department’s approach to counting and reporting shooting incidents and notes that statistics are revised as new information becomes available.
