Air rifle tragedy in the UK

Sparks

Just seeing this now:
BBC Website:

Boy, 12, dies in pellet shooting
A 12 year-old boy has died after being shot in the eye with an airgun pellet.

Ambulance personnel were called to Greenway Hall Road in Stockton Brook, Stoke-on-Trent, on Thursday afternoon.

Mitchel Picken was rushed to University Hospital North Staffordshire where he died on Saturday. Pathologists confirm that he died of a penetration wound.

Two 12-year-old boys who were arrested at the scene have been released on police bail. A family liaison officer is working with Mitchel's family.

Mitchel, from Baddeley Green Lane in Baddeley Green, had been wounded in the right eye when he was picked up by the ambulance at 1330 BST.

The two boys arrested at Greenway Hall Road were interviewed by police at the Northern Area Custody Facility in Etruria, from where they were released at 2200 BST.

They were given police bail until the end of August to allow detectives more time to make enquiries.

Detective Inspector Neil Hulme said: "Our thoughts are very much with Mitchel's family and friends.

"This is obviously a very sensitive inquiry. We are working with the other two boys to establish exactly what happened, before deciding on the most appropriate way forward.

"Although the full circumstances have yet to be established, Mitchel's death would appear to serve as a terrible reminder of the dangers of children having access to air weapons," said Det Insp Hulme.

Guardian Website:

Boy dies after being shot in eye
Press Association
Tuesday August 22, 2006 11:23 AM

A 12-year-old boy has died in hospital after being shot through the eye with an air rifle.

Staffordshire Police said Mitchel Picken, from Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, died from head injuries on Saturday, two days after he was shot.

A police spokesman confirmed that two 12-year-old boys arrested following the incident in the Stockton Brook area of the city had since been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Mitchel was admitted to hospital last Thursday after paramedics from Staffordshire Ambulance Service were called to a house in Greenway Hall Road, Stockton Brook, at about 1.30pm.

A police spokesman said: "On arrival they found a 12-year-old boy who had been shot in the right eye with a pellet from an air rifle.

"He was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, where he had surgery and was critically ill in intensive care.

"Sadly, he died on Saturday afternoon."

Police also attended Greenway Hall Road and arrested two boys, who were kept in custody until around 8pm on Thursday.

They have now been freed on bail until the end of August to give officers time to make further inquiries.

A post-mortem examination conducted by a Home Office pathologist on Monday night found that Mitchel died from a penetrating wound to the head.

© Copyright Press Association Ltd 2006, All Rights Reserved.

garmac

Jesus, how sad.
Kinda scary when you think that a 13 joule air rifle is available over the counter with no licence needed in the UK.
Probably for that reason people may would view them as toys and not fully grasp that they are the same as any other firearm and potentially lethal if not treated with due respect.