Police arrest 3 teens in connection with Staten Island paintball attacks

WESTERLEIGH (WABC) -- Arrests have been made in a string of paintball attacks that had a Staten Island neighborhood on edge.

17-year-old Andrew Larstanna, 18-year-old Nicholas Barranco and 17-year old Christopher Motola, all of Staten Island, now face numerous charges.

At least five people were shot with paintball pellets in the Westerleigh section of Staten Island in the past two weeks.

The incidents were believed to be related to a string of paintball attacks, the first of which occurred on July 6.

One of the incidents is being investigated as a possible hate crime after a 67-year-old Orthodox Jewish man was walking at the intersection of Westwood Avenue and Warwick Avenue Friday when a gray GMC Envoy approached. The vehicle slowed down, and an individual shot the man in the right arm with a yellow paintball, police said.

None of the other Staten Island victims are Jewish, and detectives are still looking into possible connections.

Last Saturday, a 45-year-old woman walking her dog was struck in the leg by a paintball fired from a dark-colored SUV at about 10:30 p.m, while a 67-year-old woman walking with her husband was struck by a paintball fired from a dark-colored sedan at about 11 p.m. Additionally, two teenagers were also struck by paintballs fired from a dark-colored sedan.