Man pelts stepson with paintballs as punishment

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Paintball is meant to be safe fun, but Metro police have charged 41-year-old man with battery after they say he put on a paintball mask Tuesday and repeatedly opened fire on his 10-year-old stepson.

Police say Asagai Allen-Barton told them that his stepson hadn't been doing his chores. So, as punishment, he made him come out here and run around the cul-de-sac. When his stepson wasn't doing that to his satisfaction, that's when he reportedly grabbed him and took him back to the backyard. That's where the paintball attack began.

A neighbor reported seeing the attack and called police. The boy, hit nine times, suffered red marks and bruises on his arms, legs, stomach and back.

No one answered when 24-Hour News 8 knocked on the Bartons' door Thursday.

Neighbors think Barton is plain wrong.

"Well, it's physical abuse," said neighbor Harold Epperson. "Unnecessary as far as the punishment of the child. There's different ways to punish your child, you have to know which is effective. I wouldn't do that to anybody, not even somebody I hated."

Police say when the boy's mom got wind of the incident she came right home.

The boy is reportedly doing OK.

Meantime, Barton has an initial hearing set for this coming Tuesday at 8:30 in Court 15.