Paintball hits officer at traffic stop
FORT WAYNE – A man is accused of shooting a Fort Wayne police officer with a paintball gun.
Derek M. Aby, 20, of Decatur, was charged Friday with felony battery.
Officer Keith Adair pulled over a vehicle about 4:45 p.m. Sunday near Coliseum Boulevard and Coldwater Road, according to court records.
As he was talking to the driver, Adair heard a popping noise and felt a sudden pain on his right wrist and hand, court records said.
Adair looked down, saw reddish paint and realized he’d been hit with a paintball. The shot left a cut, swelling and redness.
The paint ended up on his skin and uniform.
A witness told police the shooter was in a silver Taurus and was able to provide a license-plate number.
Shortly afterward, an officer stopped a car matching that description.
Aby was the driver and the only person in the car, court records said.
Police found a paintball gun and carbon dioxide canisters in the car, court records said.
There was red paint on Aby and the car, according to court records.
Aby admitted shooting Adair because he “pulled that guy over for no reason.” He also told police he did not know Adair was an officer when he shot him and that the round was just paint and would wash out, court records said.
Aby, who has a warrant for his arrest, was not in custody Friday.
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