Minnie_Beebe
02-18-2004, 05:31 PM
theKCRAchannel.com
Updated: 9:33 p.m. ET Feb. 17, 2004
5:29 p.m. PST February 17, 2004 - An El Dorado County mother throwing a birthday party for her son and a friend has been killed by a malfunctioning paintball gun, according to authorities.
http://images.ibsys.com/2004/0218/2854458_200X150.jpg
Investigators said a 16-year-old began disassembling his paintball gun at the paintball complex north of Placerville as Monday's birthday party was wrapping up. In an instant, the brass safety fitting that secures the high-pressure air canister to the gun malfunctioned, shooting the air canister toward Colette Controis, according to investigators.
"When it was launched, it was like a torpedo. And it struck the woman in the back of the head as she stood about 8 feet away. She died instantly," said El Dorado County Sheriff's Department spokesman Lt. Kevin House.
Controis' death was witnessed by over 30 children and parents.
http://images.ibsys.com/2004/0218/2854460_200X150.jpg
The owner of the Placerville paintball store affiliated with the paintball complex said he had never heard of such a malfunction ever happening before. And he said the malfunctioning canister did not come from his store.
El Dorado County Sheriff's investigators are calling the death a clear accident, and no criminal conduct is suspected from anyone involved.
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This is scary. I've played paintball and remember these canisters.
Updated: 9:33 p.m. ET Feb. 17, 2004
5:29 p.m. PST February 17, 2004 - An El Dorado County mother throwing a birthday party for her son and a friend has been killed by a malfunctioning paintball gun, according to authorities.
http://images.ibsys.com/2004/0218/2854458_200X150.jpg
Investigators said a 16-year-old began disassembling his paintball gun at the paintball complex north of Placerville as Monday's birthday party was wrapping up. In an instant, the brass safety fitting that secures the high-pressure air canister to the gun malfunctioned, shooting the air canister toward Colette Controis, according to investigators.
"When it was launched, it was like a torpedo. And it struck the woman in the back of the head as she stood about 8 feet away. She died instantly," said El Dorado County Sheriff's Department spokesman Lt. Kevin House.
Controis' death was witnessed by over 30 children and parents.
http://images.ibsys.com/2004/0218/2854460_200X150.jpg
The owner of the Placerville paintball store affiliated with the paintball complex said he had never heard of such a malfunction ever happening before. And he said the malfunctioning canister did not come from his store.
El Dorado County Sheriff's investigators are calling the death a clear accident, and no criminal conduct is suspected from anyone involved.
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This is scary. I've played paintball and remember these canisters.