dannefaerd
17-02-2006, 10:20
Two youths went on a shooting rampage through three Wairarapa towns, leaving one man injured and pedestrians stunned, police say.
The drama unfolded on Wednesday afternoon, when a police patrol was pulled over by a man, 45, in Masterton, who said he had been hit in the kidney area by a plastic pellet fired from a moving car.
The man suffered bruising where the pellet struck.
At the same time reports of similar incidents in Greytown and Carterton – earlier in the day – reached police.
A car was stopped in Main St, Carterton, just before 4pm, when police spotted two pistols being pointed out of a window and aimed at a youth walking along the street.
Police said they looked almost identical to a Glock pistol – the same type issued to police.
"Even after years of policing, I still find it hard to tell the difference between a police-issue hand gun and these ones that the boys have had," Constable Celia Donaldson said.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe pistols are classed as airguns. They can fire only plastic pellets. It is illegal to sell an airgun to anyone aged between 16 and 18 unless they have a firearms licence.
Police are investigating how the youths got the guns.
A Greytown youth, 17, appeared in Masterton District Court yesterday facing six firearms charges. He was bailed with strict conditions, including a 24-hour curfew unless accompanied by his parents or college tutors.
A Masterton youth, 17, was bailed to appear in court next week. Original Linkage (http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3574781a12855,00.html)
This is an issue for all paintballers as well ... our gear is classified as airguns (as you should all know). Anything that effects the law on airguns (such as events like this) and potentially stuff things for our industry as well ...
So remember kids - act responsibly.
The drama unfolded on Wednesday afternoon, when a police patrol was pulled over by a man, 45, in Masterton, who said he had been hit in the kidney area by a plastic pellet fired from a moving car.
The man suffered bruising where the pellet struck.
At the same time reports of similar incidents in Greytown and Carterton – earlier in the day – reached police.
A car was stopped in Main St, Carterton, just before 4pm, when police spotted two pistols being pointed out of a window and aimed at a youth walking along the street.
Police said they looked almost identical to a Glock pistol – the same type issued to police.
"Even after years of policing, I still find it hard to tell the difference between a police-issue hand gun and these ones that the boys have had," Constable Celia Donaldson said.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe pistols are classed as airguns. They can fire only plastic pellets. It is illegal to sell an airgun to anyone aged between 16 and 18 unless they have a firearms licence.
Police are investigating how the youths got the guns.
A Greytown youth, 17, appeared in Masterton District Court yesterday facing six firearms charges. He was bailed with strict conditions, including a 24-hour curfew unless accompanied by his parents or college tutors.
A Masterton youth, 17, was bailed to appear in court next week. Original Linkage (http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3574781a12855,00.html)
This is an issue for all paintballers as well ... our gear is classified as airguns (as you should all know). Anything that effects the law on airguns (such as events like this) and potentially stuff things for our industry as well ...
So remember kids - act responsibly.