A paintball gun left in a toolbox at the wrong doorstep in Fountain triggered an evacuation of homes on the same block and an investigation by a special explosives unit, authorities say.
A man at 555 Calle Entrada discovered a suspicious orange toolbox on his porch when he opened his door for a pizza delivery just before 6 p.m. last night, said Lt. Mike Haley of the Fountain Police Department.
Fountain police officers called the Colorado Springs Regional Explosives Unit while Fountain police evacuated the 500 block of Calle Entrada, Haley said.
The explosives experts used imaging equipment, which indicated the contents of the toolbox included wires and cylinders, he said.
But when the experts opened the box they discovered compressed air cylinders, a battery with wires, and a paintball gun.
Three hours after the evacuation, residents on the street were allowed to return to their homes. Apparently someone left the paintball gun at the wrong house by mistake, Haley said.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
