A trio of German tourists allegedly fired yellow paintballs at nearly a dozen signs in Joshua Tree National Park over the weekend, officials said.
The three visitors used a paintball gun and slingshots to also target bathrooms and dumpsters in the California natural wonder — conduct that can land offenders in jail for as much as six months, the National Park Service said in a Thursday news release.
“Defacing or altering the NPS landscape, no matter how small, is against the law,” said Joshua Tree National Park Acting Chief Ranger Jeff Filosa.
“It diminishes the natural environment that millions of people travel the world to enjoy. The park is regularly tasked with removing graffiti of all types, using time and resources that could be better dedicated to other priorities.”
A park ranger walking around the Jumbo Rocks Campground on Sunday initially spotted yellow paintball splatter on different signs and facilities. When more rangers reached that area of the park, they found a slingshot in plain view inside a vehicle, the park service said.
The three Germans admitted to firing the paintballs the night before and a search of the vehicle turned up three slingshots, a paintball gun and paintballs, officials said, adding that they are “legally considered weapons and are prohibited in National Park Service-administered lands.”
At least 11 roadway signs in Joshua Tree were vandalized with the yellow paint, the park service said.
The tourists were all issued a federal violation notice of vandalizing, defacing and destroying property.
The violation can lead to a maximum fine of $5,000 and a maximum jail sentence of six months.
Park staff are working to clean up the paintball splatter.
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