Hunter accidentally shot by his friend
'Friend was in the line of fire'
A young hunter was critically injured when he was accidentally shot by his friend in a field lying between Żabbar and Vittoriosa yesterday morning.
The man, 20, was found lying on a patch of grass littered with shotgun cartridges.
According to a police spokesman, the man was found shortly after a search began in the fields beneath the bastions following reports that gunshots were heard in the area.
The hunter was rushed to hospital, suffering from extensive head injuries. He was placed in intensive care.
The two men were close friends and often went hunting together, sources said.
It appears the shooter was aiming at a starling but, when he shot, he accidentally hit his friend who was in the line of fire.
The shooter was at the scene throughout the police investigation. He assisted the onsite inquiry. Officers were seen walking to their car carrying a camouflaged shotgun case. Duty Magistrate Doreen Clarke has launched an inquiry, assisted by ballistics expert Brigadier Maurice Calleja and architect Richard Aquilina.
Assistant Police Commissioner Neville Aquilina, together with Superintendent Carmelo Bartolo and Inspectors Jesmond Borg and Fabian Fleri from the district police, were on site.
Inspector Chris Pullicino from the homicide squad was also on the scene for some time.