Windsor cyclist shaken after being struck by suspected airsoft pellets; police investigating

Aaron Wrotkowski stands with his bicycle near the area along Wyandotte Street West where he says he was struck by an airsoft pellet fired from a passing vehicle while riding home from work. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

A Windsor cyclist says he was left shaken after being struck by what he believes were airsoft pellets fired from a passing vehicle while riding home from work.

Windsor police confirm an investigation is underway but have not released details about the incident.

Aaron Wrotkowski said he was biking westbound along Wyandotte Street West on Wednesday afternoon when he suddenly heard popping sounds and felt projectiles strike him.

“I felt it on the back of my head, like something shooting me, as well as on my neck and my shoulder,” Wrotkowski said.

Wrotkowski explained he did not see who fired the shots, only what appeared to be a brightly coloured airsoft-style rifle extending from a vehicle window.

After checking for injuries, he said he realized the projectiles had not broken his skin.

“I essentially had, with one hand on my bike, checked the back of my neck to see if there was any blood, and not seeing anything. That’s when I was like, okay, this wasn’t piercing, essentially,” he said.

Although he was not seriously injured, Wrotkowski said the incident could have had more serious consequences.

“It’s really easy to see that the streets on Wyandotte have cars on each side. I could have either veered to the left, right into oncoming traffic, or I could have veered right and hit a parked car, and even that could have caused some sort of injury,” he said.

Wrotkowski said he rode home and immediately contacted police before sharing details of the incident on social media.

He said another person who witnessed the encounter later contacted him and provided a photograph of the vehicle involved.

“Essentially, me posting it gave him an opportunity to post a photo,” Wrotkowski said.

“It was very helpful because the police ended up saying that they’re able to identify the licence plate and that it was a stolen vehicle.”

Police have not publicly confirmed details regarding the vehicle.

Const. Bianca Jackson said investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances of the incident and determine what type of object or weapon may have been involved.

“In this specific case, it hasn’t been confirmed what kind of weapon was used against the victim. That is part of the investigation,” Jackson said.

She noted that items not normally considered weapons can be treated as such depending on how they are used.

“Although something, its use may not be for a weapon, somebody who wants to use it as such, then it is considered a weapon,” Jackson said.

Jackson said potential charges could range from assault to assault with a weapon, depending on the circumstances and injuries involved.

“Somebody can get charged with anything from assault to assault with a weapon or something more serious depending upon the injuries that were sustained during the incident,” she said.

Police are encouraging anyone who experiences a similar incident to report it.

“At the end of the day, the victim of this crime called police, made a report about it, giving our investigators the opportunity to look into this case, investigate it further,” Jackson said.

Residents in the area say the incident is concerning.

Amanda Mallais, who lives near where the shooting occurred, said she worries about the safety of her four children.

“I’m scared because Windsor hasn’t been like this at all and stuff is starting to uptake,” she said.

“I have four children to worry about.”

Despite the incident, Wrotkowski said he was encouraged by the response he received online from community members who offered support and assistance.

“To me, it was honestly a sense of community,” he said.

“I got a feeling that people do want to go out and help.”