Police trying to stop a group of people from spreading "chaos and destruction" in a New Hampshire town over the weekend were attacked with paintball guns.
The incident happened shortly after midnight Saturday when Rindge police and firefighters were called to the Rindge Town Common after multiple people were setting fires, illegally dumping, stealing municipal property and engaging in criminal mischief, the police department said in a statement. When the first responders reached the scene, they were shot at with paintball guns
"Fortunately, the responding police officers have had ample firearms training and were able to detect the difference between a paintball gun being discharged and a firearm," the department stated. "Officers did not return fire with their duty weapons. This is a very real and dangerous possibility that could occur as a result of this type of behavior."
The group evaded police and continued their acts of vandalism and disorderly conduct sporadically over the next three hours. During that span, they returned to the area at least three times.
"Once again, a group of individuals believed it would be 'fun' to engage in a 'harmless prank' and 'local tradition' and create a path of chaos and destruction within the center of an otherwise beautiful town," the department stated.
No injuries were reported, and police are investigating the incident.
