Paintball community helps local woman

J.T Military Surplus Sales and Commando Games, along with Ottawa Extreme Paintball and Arnold Paintball Montreal, presented a $4,000 cheque to 21-year-old Ashley Roos on Monday, Oct. 29 – money that will help fund her return to university to become a teacher.

On May 7, 2007, Ashley was seriously injured when she was struck in the left eye with a paintball shot from a car while waiting at a bus stop near Orléans Boulevard and Lumberman Way.

Ashley has undergone two operations already, with a third still to come, her father Steve Roos explained at the presentation ceremony. In the months following the attack, he added that Ashley was forced to leave work and drop out of school, suffering through agonizing pain because of her injuries. She is now only able to distinguish some light in that eye and not expected to undergo a full recovery, he added. “It was difficult to watch someone go through this because of such a senseless act ... at first it was devastating of course,” Steve said. “It’s hard for any parent to watch, but now she’s getting better, going back to school and she’s gone back to work.”

The attack says something about the misuse of paintball guns, not the industry itself, he continued, adding that the family’s 14-year-old son loves playing the sport. “I have no problem with the legitimate use of paintball guns,” Steve said. “If paintball guns are used well then it’s a wonderful recreational activity.”

Tom Poirier from J.T Military Surplus Sales called the incident an unfortunate situation, stressing that safety is the number one priority in paintball. “It was done outside the context of the sport, using the paintball equipment,” he said at Monday’s ceremony at city hall.

Orléans Coun. Bob Monette, meanwhile, applauded the paintball community for rallying around Ashley since the attack and spreading the word about proper paintball gun use.

Education about how paintball guns function and what regulations apply is key, he said, especially with parents often purchasing them for their children. Municipal laws treat paintball guns as firearms, Monette continued, adding that shooting one outside a regulated area within the city limits can mean a fine of up to $5,000.

Jean-Luc Archambault, 20, of Gatineau, the alleged driver of the vehicle, and an unnamed 17-year-old Ottawa girl who is said to be the shooter have been charged in connection with the incident.

As for what the future holds for Ashley, who returned to her job at Wal-Mart several weeks ago, her father said she plans to go back to Carleton University and the University of Ottawa in January to continue her schooling. “I’m so grateful to everyone who has contributed to this generous gift,” Ashley said in a statement read by her mother, Jan, at the ceremony. “I can’t wait to get back to school; it will be nice to have a stress-free semester.”