AUSTIN (KXAN) — A woman was arrested and charged with assault with bodily injury and deadly conduct after police said she allegedly shot at a passerby with a paintball gun during a live streamer’s scavenger hunt event over the weekend.
The Austin Police Department said Tuesday it was investigating the incident as an assault with injury. On Thursday, APD announced that a woman had been arrested in connection with it.
Amaris Sampson, 29, was arrested Wednesday on charges of assault with bodily injury, which is a Class A misdemeanor, and deadly conduct, also a Class A misdemeanor. Online jail records show Sampson also faces another misdemeanor charge from a jurisdiction outside of Travis County.
No attorney was listed online for Sampson on Thursday, but when that information is available, KXAN will reach out to request a comment.
According to APD, officers responded to a disturbance call on Saturday around 8:40 p.m. The call reported that a person had been shot with a paintball gun earlier in the evening and wanted to file a report, according to police.
APD said video evidence captured “several live streamers, armed with paintball guns, participating in a scavenger hunt near 2200 South Lakeshore Boulevard” that day.
The victim said they had been hit by a paintball, resulting in pain and injury. Police did not share the name of the victim.
A video posted online over the weekend shows several people armed with paintball guns along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail near a paddleboard rental business, appearing to be recording or livestreaming from their phones.
The video showed the perspective of streamer “XenaTheWitch,” who fired a shot at a passerby, and another person told her, “That’s a real worker you almost shot at.” The video then showed another streamer’s perspective, where they speak to the person who was hit with the paintball.
Sampson was booked into the Travis County Jail on Wednesday.
Police said that anyone with information is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.