By By BEN RAYMOND LODE / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- A paintball incident where a juvenile was allegedly shot in the neck was first called in to police dispatch as an incident involving a firearm.
The incident happened at 520 Cass St., Niles on Sunday afternoon.
When police arrived, however, they found out that only a paintball gun had been fired.
Chief Ric Huff at the Niles City Police Department said, when the police tried to investigate the incident, none of the witnesses were willing to talk.
The juvenile who was shot, Huff said, to his knowledge didn't sustain any injuries.
He said based on the information gathered by police, 10 to 12 people were gathered at 520 Cass St. when the incident happened.
Neighbors, however, have told police the juveniles have used paintball guns in the neighborhood over the last week.
In other police reports:
George Russell Morse, 30, 510 S. Third St., Niles, was arrested pending charges after police officers were dispatched to the supermarket, the police report said.
The police report said a supermarket cashier who allegedly became suspicious of Morse's checks called the police.
When the police arrived and the cashier pointed Morse out to the them, Morse allegedly tried to leave the supermarket, but police were able to stop him, the police report said.
The police report said Morse had allegedly tried to cash a check in the amount of $336.67.
The cashier said she remembered several checks that have allegedly been returned with the name of Morse, the police report said.
The police report, however, said the cashier had never cashed a check for Morse herself, but she allegedly remembered the name.
By looking at Morse's check, she could allegedly tell the check was made by a typewriter, the police report said.
The police report said the cashier told the police she cashes a lot of checks and this one just didn't look right.
Morse was transported to the Niles Police Department where he was booked and lodged, the police report said.
Morse, however, also had an alleged female accomplice from Dowagiac, the police report said.
The police report said officers, later that day, found the woman at Morse's apartment.
In the apartment, officers found a typewriter and several checks sitting on the refrigerator, the police report said.
Some of them were allegedly already made out to Morse, the police report said.
The woman also allegedly advised police they also have more checks in a shed in Dowagiac, the police report said.
The police report said the woman was taken into custody and transported to Berrien Springs where St. Joseph City Police picked her up.
She also had three warrants for her arrest, the police report said.
The officers later contacted Check Alert, who advised them the checks made out by the two had been cashed in stores in Niles, Buchanan and Eau Claire, the police report said.
Five checks, written from Huntington National Bank in Dowagiac and cashed at Harding's store in Buchanan and Eau Claire, ranged from $286,56 to $334, 81.