By Roger Lanse

A Silver City Police Department officer was dispatched to 1221 Louisiana Street on Monday, Mar. 5, at approximately 10:53 a.m., to a reported fight involving a paintball gun. According to an SCPD incident report, the caller advised that a male had come into his residence who had been shot in the stomach with a paintball gun and was having trouble breathing.

When the officer arrived, the report stated, he observed the 33-year-old victim of the address had blood coming from his nose, the outside of his left ear, and had bruising/welts on his left arm and stomach. The victim told the officer he was walking outside when an unknown assailant shot him with a paintball gun.

According to the report, as the victim was getting medical treatment from EMS, the caller said he was inside and heard what sounded like a paintball gun go off but did not see who discharged it, but he did know who the victim had been fighting with -- Jorge Rodriguez, later determined to be 49-years-of-age, also of the address. The caller stated after the victim entered caller's residence, Rodriguez went to caller's front door advising he and the victim got into a fight. The caller further stated that Rodriguez and the victim have had issues for a while due to Rodriguez being in a relationship with the victim's ex-girlfriend.

Another officer spoke to Rodriguez about the incident, the report said. Rodriguez told that officer the victim went to the shed Rodriguez was living in and unplugged the power cord to the shed, and when Rodriguez confronted the victim is when the fight started. Rodriguez denied shooting the victim with a paintball gun.

The victim refused to press charges, signing a complaint withdrawal form.

The victim was transported to Gila Regional Medical Center for further medical treatment. Rodriguez received medical treatment on scene by EMS but was not transported.