VANDALS ROCK CITY WITH PAINTBALLS

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Residents along several city blocks in Lincolnton awoke Saturday morning to find their cars and homes vandalized.

The culprits are yet known to police.

The incident first came to light when police were called to a house in the 600 block of South Grove Street.

Wanda Williams, like many of her neighbors, discovered Satrurday morning that someone had shot orange paintballs towards her house and car.

Police officer Jimmy Barlowe noted in his incident report the department received several calls during Saturday morning and afternoon of the paintball vandalism.

In fact, according to Barlowe's report, more than 20 homes and businesses were targets of vandalism.

Paintball is a sport in which players can eliminate opponents -- not property -- by hitting the opponents with pellets containing paint, usually shot from a carbon dioxide or compressed-gag powered paintball gun.

According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association, more than 5 million people played the game in the United States last year, with more than 1 million people playing at least 15 times last year.

And while Williams and the other residents don't think it's a game, it was a bit of a nuisance.

"There wasn't any damage," said Williams to police. "The paint washed off."