Stops signs scarred by bullets have been mentioned by hip-hop artists like Ludacris and Dr. Dre in their rhymes over the years. The practice of pumping a few rounds into a red octagon posted at the street corner is nothing new.
I see so many around town they’ve become part of the scenery. However, this gem caught my eye near University of the Pacific Thursday afternoon. Photographer Mike McCollum snapped a few images of this stop sign near Pacific Avenue and the Calaveras River that was absolutely battered by someone firing off a shotgun.
This one stands out to me because of the sheer firepower of the weapon used. The damage below the “S” is so significant I was able to fit four fingers through it. It’s as if I could’ve picked up the sign and used it as an artist’s pallet if it weren’t attached to the steel post.
The individual holes by the buckshot are large enough to fit the tip of my pinky in.
I have no idea when this sign was shot up, but my guess is it’s farily recent because the metal isn’t rusted and paint chips haven’t flaked off significantly.
Any guesses on what gauge shotgun was used? 
