Paintball kills man (Maybe)

[Novacastrian]

So what does everyone think about the chances of a paintball killing a person? Apparently it has been done, check out <a href="http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23 ... html">this newstory</a>.

[Zen///]

"Paintballs dont kill people, People kill people"

The Heart attack killed him, maybe because of the exitement or the hit affected his heart in some way.

[DYI]

A man has been electrocuted by a 9 volt alkaline battery. This all goes to show that if it is even remotely possible to be killed by something, directly or indirectly, someone will be killed by it eventually, and the media will have a field day.

I vote excitement or other unrelated malfunction. Even if it hit at the exact right moment, a paintball probably doesn't have enough force to kill by disrupting the heart's cycle (although someone was killed by being struck in the chest by a cleanout cap at exactly the wrong moment, and several punches have done the same thing).

[TurboSuper]

This is interesting, since I've heard two other stories of someone dying due to chest impact:

-A man was killed when the endcap blew off his spudgun and hit him in the chest.

-A young boy was killed by being hit in the chest during a schoolyard fight.

I've read somewhere that if administered at exactly the right time, even mild chest trauma can stop the heart. Of course, I don't believe everything I read, so if anyone actually has any medical knowledge and can comment, that would be swell.

There may also be a chance that he already had some sort of heart condition.

Edit: Haha, wow, I just talked about the same two cases DYI mentioned and I didn't ever read his post. At least i'm not crazy.

[MrCrowley]

Well it said he died in his car after the incident, if it was because the paintball screwed up his heart beat, wouldn't he of dropped on the spot?

[DYI]

If the paintball had hit at the only moment that even could cause death, he wouldn't have made it to his car, because his heart would have stopped functioning immediately. And being hit by a paintball is significantly less energy transfer than being hit directly by a cleanout cap or punched in the chest.

[MrCrowley]

So I was right then.

Well i'm sure the coroners will find something.

[goathunter]

Well it said he died in his car after the incident, if it was because the paintball screwed up his heart beat, wouldn't he of dropped on the spot?

Possibly, but the most likely outcome was that he jarred something loose and cause a blockage in one of his arteries.Of course that had more to do with physical activity that being hit with a paintball.[/quote]

[bigbob12345]

The paintball didnt directly kill him it induced something like a heart attack. He probably had a heart condition that caused the heart attack.

[potatoflinger]

I think that the man died from something unrelated to paintball, especially since he didn't die on the spot, he died at a service station after he had stopped playing paintball. Another reason is that the operator of the paintball field said that when the man left the field, he seemed like he was in perfect health. If the man was having heart problems, I think that the operator would have noticed.

Edit: 500th post!

[PVC Arsenal 17]

So what does everyone think about the chances of a paintball killing a person? Apparently it has been done, check out <a href="http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23 ... html">this newstory</a>.

You say "it has been done" as though someone actually attempted to do it (and succeeded!)

[TurboSuper]

I think that the man died from something unrelated to paintball, especially since he didn't die on the spot, he died at a service station after he had stopped playing paintball. Another reason is that the operator of the paintball field said that when the man left the field, he seemed like he was in perfect health. If the man was having heart problems, I think that the operator would have noticed.

Edit: 500th post!

That's a good point, he could have also been one of those "weekend warriors" who sit around all day at some desk job and then go crazy on the weekends.

[Novacastrian]

So what does everyone think about the chances of a paintball killing a person? Apparently it has been done, check out <a href="http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23 ... html">this newstory</a>.

You say "it has been done" as though someone actually attempted to do it (and succeeded!)

Yeah, i probably could have worded the post differently in hindsight.
I tend to agree with goathunter and the theory that the impact dislodged a build up and led to a blockage.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Some people die just from tripping on a pavement, the human body can demonstrate remarkable resilience at times yet seem incredibly fragile at others. In this case it appears to be an illustration of the latter - and quite frankly, the focus on the fact that he was paintballing and trying to make a completely speculative link with his death, even though he was not on the field at the time, is pure media sensationalism.

[sparkey]

Paintball is one of the SAFEST sports! More people are injured playing boccie ball! It's a fact.
A paintball could not kill even if shot in the eye at close range, possibly if shot in the throat point blanc. They just don't carry enough energy. Plus if you play on an actual field, velocity is regulated to 300fps or less.
There was an instance where some kid's Co2 tank valve separated from the bottle, blew off and hit someone in the head and killed 'em. But the industry immediately added a safety system in the tanks. Some dude at the field in Davis Ca. had a heart attack on the field and died. But thats a heart attack.
I have been balling for over ten years, seen a couple of busted bones and an eye shot but no death.
But death by paintball is not going to happen.