question for any lawyers or police officers regarding an incident on the street?

Question

Hi, I live in San Diego,
I was wondering what my rights are if I caught my neighbors kids firing paint balls at me and others on the street today. I went to their house, but the parents weren't home. What should I do?
thanks in advance

Answer 1

Most of the answers here are correct, from one point of view or another. The question is what kind of relationship to you have, or want to have, with your neighbors? If these are people you know, and want to keep good relations with, I would not jump to turning their kids into the police. If you know them, and relations are already so bad that you cannot discuss this with them, then the police may be the only solution. If you don't know them, then an approach without anger and in a reasonable manner may be a good first step, but if they don't seem inclined to take action, then sterner measures may be necessary.

Answer 2

That constitutes criminal assault. There is a reason that paint ball participants wear masks. A strike from a paint ball at minimum results in a bruise, welt and possible tearing of the skin. Without a mask injuries can escalate to the loss of an eye and crainal damage to some of the thinner bone structures of the skull.

I recently left San Diego to move east but while there I worked closely with members of the San Diego Police Department. Contact SDPD and file a police report. Follow up on this with the Detectives office after a couple of weeks and ensure action is being taken.

Answer 3

I would call your police non-emergency number and explain to them the situation. It is best to report it because the children could step up from paintball guns to bb or pellet guns that can seriously hurt somebody.
If you still do not feel comfortable about this, go to the children's homes later in the evening and tell them what their kids have done. This will hopefully reconcile the problem without making you look like the bad guy for having the neighborhood kids arrested.

Answer 4

What ever you do, do not handle the situation on your own!!! Do not go to the house of the children, this could lead to an even bigger problem for you! Call your local law enforcement officers and let them handle it. Tell the officers where the kids live, give accurate descriptions of them as well as the time of day, chances are, they are in trouble for missing school as well.

Answer 5

Call the police and let them handle it and file a report, it's their job... Had the same problem with the next door neighbor, called the non-emergency number, officer talked with the kids and parent, no on egot arrested, no problems from them anymore and the mother thanked me, she couldnt get through to the kids.

Answer 6

I would definitely call the police.
THe police can go and talk to your neighbors for you.
Have them file a police report too and find out what it costs to clean the paint from your property.
If you do something drastic now, you will have fewer problems later!

Answer 7

Personally I would go back when their parents get home and give them a chance to resolve the situation themselves. Of course you are justified in calling the police as well.

Answer 8

Of course, you have the right to pursue the matter criminally. Just handle the matter through the local law enforcement agency.

Answer 9

this still may be considered harassment or domestic violence - it doesn't hurt to contact your local police dept and file a complaint. Paint guns can still cause major injury if you are hit in the face, etc.

Answer 10

Get a bigger, faster paintball gun with more bullets!