"I've never felt pain like it": Second man speaks out on drive-by 'slingshot' attack

A SERIES of bizarre reports of 'slingshot attacks' are being investigated by police as several people across the town have reported being injured.

This newspaper spoke recently to a man who reported being struck by a metal nut that had been launched from a passing vehicle, as well as a similar object having smashed his car window on a separate occasion.

Now more reports of injuries have come forward and Thames Valley Police has confirmed that it is looking into a series of reports of people being injured in similar 'slingshot-style' attacks.

Owner of a marketing company Jazz Dhillon, 53, said he was out on one of his usual daily walks on June 14 when a metal nut was catapulted at him.

"I just stopped to look at my phone for a second," he said. "I had just walked past the police station in Lower Earley, and my back was slightly turned into the road.

"All of a sudden I feel this really, really sharp pain. The pain was excruciating, I've never felt a pain like that before. I had to take a few deep breaths. I could feel adrenaline rush through my entire body because of the shock."

Mr Dhillon also heard something drop on the floor and as he turned around he could see a small shiny metal nut on the road. He said a vehicle then came rushing past him at speed, whizzing around the corner and causing Mr Dhillon to jump away from the road.

"I kept looking at the nut thinking did someone deliberately throw this at me?" Mr Dhillon continued.

"I never thought that someone could be using a contraption to do this. I thought that maybe it had sprung up from the road as the vehicle drove past me."

Mr Dhillon soon discovered several others had reported similar incidents in the area on local social media pages including neighbour website Next Door. He said he feels lucky that the nut only hit his arm muscle as the area is sturdy so not much damage was done.

Other victims have reported being hit in the hand, back, and stomach. If the nut hit Mr Dhillon six inches higher he said it would have struck his head.

"If it had hit me in the head, I honestly don't think I would be alive right now," Mr Dhillon said. "The velocity the nut must have been coming at to generate that sort of pain."

As previously reported, firefighter Vincent Williams, from Woodley, is among the several other local residents to have reported the attacks, which he said happened during a late morning jog at 11.56am on Tuesday, June 25. Read more here. 

Thames Valley Police is currently investigating a number of reports of similar attacks across the Woodley and Earley area in June. The force is looking at incidents reported in Crackhamwell Road, Woodlands Avenue, Beechwood Avenue and Wokingham Road.

A 19-year-old, from Surrey, was arrested as part of the investigation on suspicion of criminal damage and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The teenager has since been released on bail.

If you too have fallen victim to these attacks, please email olivia.mowl@newsquest.co.uk