Boy nearly blinded in paintball attack

JUNIATA PARK (WPVI) -- A 10-year-old boy was hit by a frozen paint ball as he walked down the street. Police say this was a random act of violence, and it could have been worse.

Jayden Deleon was at the intersection of K and Luzerne when it happened. The paintball came within a fraction of an inch of taking out the boy's left eye.

"It felt really bad," Jayden said.

He's now back to riding his bicycle after spending a night in the hospital.

The fourth grader was hungry Wednesday night, so he, his older brother and his father went across the street to get a bag of chips.

As they were walking home, a dark car with heavily tinted windows rolled up. Someone in the backseat started shooting a paintball gun.

Jhoann Deleon, Jayden's brother, tells us, "It was dark out, and they had like tinted windows, but I seen what he described, like a mask and like ski googles."

They ran back into the store and called the police.

Jayden had been hit on the side of his eye by a frozen paintball. He was in a lot of pain as paramedics rushed him to the hospital.

He's got a pretty nasty welt around his eye now - a very close call.

Philadelphia Police Lt. John Stanford tells us, "For a child, a 10-year-old, to be shot in the face with one of these things is just ridiculous. This kid could have lost his eye."

Philadelphia police are looking for a dark colored sedan, possibly a Honda with dark windows. They're also collecting surveillance video from the area, and hoping someone can help lead them to the shooter.

"Even if somebody knows that there's somebody in their neighborhood that has a paintball gun that's going around doing this, hopefully they can give us some tips on that and we can bring them in," said Lt. Stanford.

Jayden is bouncing back from the ordeal that could have changed his life forever.

His big bother can't understand who would do something like that to an innocent kid.

Jhoann said, "I feel mad and upset. Wondering why people would do this. It's so stupid and childish."

Whoever did this is facing serious consequences - aggravated assault and weapons charges that could land that person in jail for a long time.