5 paintball attacks on mail carriers in DC, Maryland; $50k reward offered

Five U.S. Postal Service mail carriers were hit with paintball pellets in an apparent string of attacks late Saturday afternoon in D.C. and Maryland. Several carriers suffered minor injuries.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement division of the Postal Service, said a $50,000 reward is being offered for help in solving the crimes.

Investigators said the two suspects were driving a silver or gray four-door sedan with temporary license plates.

One suspect was described as an African-American man in his 20s, between 5’10” and 6 feet tall, with a slim build, dreadlocks or braids.

The other suspect was described only as a slim African-American man.

The assaults were committed within a three-hour span:

  • 3:15 p.m. in the 4800 block of B Street Southeast, in D.C.
  • 4:30 p.m. in the 3900 block of 1st Street Southwest, in D.C.
  • 4:30 p.m. in the 100 block of Irvington Street Southwest, in D.C.
  • 5:30 p.m. in the 5800 block of Quintana Street, in Riverdale, Maryland
  • 6:15 p.m. in the 1200 block of 46th Street Southeast, in D.C.

Police offered no possible motive for the attack.

Anyone who sees the suspects are asked not to approach them, but to call the Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455. Information will be kept confidential.

Below is a map with the approximate locations of the attacks:

Neal Augenstein

Neal Augenstein has been a general assignment reporter with WTOP since 1997. He says he looks forward to coming to work every day, even though that means waking up at 3:30 a.m.

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