Two Men Accused of Shooting Pellet Guns at Paragliders Plead Not Guilty

Two men suspected of shooting pellet guns at paragliders in Daly City over the weekend pleaded not guilty to assault charges on Monday, San Mateo County's district attorney said today.

Edward Amatori, 49, of San Francisco, and Alex Attard, 38, of Daly City, were taken into custody on Saturday after a SWAT team responded to reports of shots fired at Mussel Rock Park, a popular launching point for paragliders, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

Three paragliders had been preparing to take off from the coastal bluffs when they heard four shots fired over their heads, Wagstaffe said. They saw one of the shots strike the ground nearby, he said.

The victims called Daly City police, and one of the responding officers spotted two men carrying what appeared to be rifles on a trail below the bluffs, Wagstaffe said.

A SWAT team was called in while the men were observed shooting their rifles "dozens of times" at undetermined targets, Wagstaffe said.

No one was struck or injured, and the men were taken into custody without incident. The rifles were determined to be .22-caliber pellet guns, according to the district attorney's office.

Wagstaffe said Amatori was convicted of misdemeanor assault with a pellet gun earlier this year.

Both men were charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and remain in custody on $25,000 bail.

They are scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on
Jan 23.

--Bay City News

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