The 17-year-old girl shot in the face with a paintball gun is refusing to let the experience ruin her holiday in Mount Maunganui.
The Auckland teenager was shot as she stood talking with friends on Banks Ave on Saturday afternoon. Police believe three shots were fired from a green Subaru Forrester
stopped at the intersection of Banks Ave and Maunganui Rd.
One shot hit the girl in the mouth, cutting her lip and leaving her spitting blood and paint.
The girl said her injuries were healing well but she was worried at the possibility of someone else being targeted: "I'm quite upset that anyone would do it to anyone else. It's stupid and foolish - I just don't want it to happen to anyone else."
The girl, who was visiting the Bay with a group of friends, said the shooting happened quickly.
"I heard a noise and I turned around, then I heard it again. Then I realised there was someone sitting in the Forrester with a paintball gun. It all happened so fast." The teen said she was grateful she was not more badly injured.
"I'm just lucky I didn't get hit in the eye, or it didn't go down my throat."
Despite the unprovoked attack, the girl said she was determined to enjoy her holiday.
"I'm down here to enjoy myself, I paid for it ... I'm not going to let something like this get in my way."
Police believe the shots were fired by a man sitting in the front passenger seat in the Forrester, which was driven by a woman with long blonde hair.
Both were about 20 years old.
Mount Maunganui police Constable Todd Hilleard said police were following up information from the public over the incident, and had examined video footage of the vehicle taken on Saturday afternoon.
Mr Hilleard said both police and the girl were stunned by the attack.
"What really shocked all of us is that it's just totally random ... she's had no reason to be shot at.
"If it had got her in the eye, what's that going to do to her ... what if it had gone into her mouth?"
