3 teens arrested in connection with drive-by paintball shootings in Whitehorse

Nine-year-old Abby Rixhad just said goodbye to her friend Marcus on Monday afternoon and was walking home on Klondike Road in Whitehorse's Riverdaleneighbourhood, when she saw the white car approaching.

"It stopped right beside me and I stopped too. And then they shot me with a paint gun," she said.

"I just turned around and started to cry because it really hurt."

Abby had beenhit in the arm, and it left a big welt.She figures the car was about threemetres away. The teens insidelaughed as the car turned around, splashing Abby with a puddle before drivingoff.

"I did hear one of them say, 'Nice shot,'" Abby said.

"I felt sad and mad at the same time. So I just kept walking home.When I got home, my brothers were watching a movie and I couldn't say anything because I was so sad."

Her dad James Roughwas also home, and when he found out what happened he was "livid."

"I said a couple of inappropriate words around the kids," he said.

He also called RCMP, but not before driving around the neighbourhood to look for the white car.

"Didn't know what I would do if I found them, but I was looking,"said James.

3 teens arrested

On Wednesday, RCMParrested three 17-year-old boys in connection with the incident and said charges were pending including assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes.

Earlier, police had said there were two paintball shootings one in Riverdale and another incident where someone was hit downtown. The white hatchback sedan was involved in both incidents.

Abby's mom Alison Rough said she was "dumbfounded" by what happened. She doesn't understand why somebody would randomly target a small child.

"I remember being a teenager.But to do that, like, you have to know how hard that's going to hit," Alison said. "Even six inches up would have been in the face or in her neck."

"It just dumbfounds me that they would even think that that was funny."

Abby normally loves walking to or from school, but the incident has left her rattled as well as bruised.

"I don't want to walk anymore," she said.