Paintball business in Donagh burglarized, building set on fire

RCMP on P.E.I. are asking Islanders to be on the lookout for stolen paintball items after a storage building at Outlaw Paintball was burglarized and set on fire Tuesday.

Sgt. Craig Eveleigh said the building was engulfed in flames and a total loss when they arrived at the scene near Donagh just before 6 a.m.

"We're working with the owner to identify the items that were in the utility building so that we can kind of put out a bulletin to keep an eye out for these stolen items," he said.

Outlaw Paintball was also the target of a break-in in June.

"We've been limping along, I would say, for the last couple of months since the burglary," owner Shawn Curley told CBC News. "This latest incident has shut us down, possibly for good."

A neighbour called Curley early Tuesday morning, saying the building was on fire.

"I was upset last night," he said Wednesday. "Today I'm very angry."

After nearly a decade of running the business, he's debating whether it's worth the risk to try to reopen. If he does, it won't be this season. 

"As unfortunate as this is, none of the surrounding community has been affected," Curley added. "We could've lost our entire woodlot here, houses in the community could've been lost, someone could've been badly injured."

Curley posted a message on Facebook that read in part: "This is truly devastating to our family… We would like to apologize to the groups we had booked for the coming weeks. We would like to thank everyone who has reached out to us during this time. Your support has been overwhelming."

Eveleigh is asking the public to report any suspicious activity in the area late Monday and early Tuesday morning as the investigation continues.

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