Vic: Man killed by archer neighbour testing Christmas present

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2000
Vic: Man killed by archer neighbour testing Christmas present

A man killed by an arrow in a Melbourne backyard has been accidentally shot to death
by a young neighbour testing a Christmas present.

A police spokesman says the 16-year-old boy who fired the fatal arrow in his backyard
at Nerissa Street in Rye, on the Mornington Peninsula, had been testing a new sight for
his archery bow.

He had set up a bale as a practice target, but missed.

The arrow went through the fence, travelling about 30 metres before hitting a 58-year-old
neighbour in the back.

A family member who went to call the man inside found him in the yard with an arrow
wound in the back.

Paramedics were called and arrived at about 2pm (AEDT), and a nurse who lived nearby
went to help him, but he died in his yard a short time later.

The dead man's name has not been released.

The spokesman says detectives will be investigating "safety issues and complex legal
issues" in relation to the death.

Counselling has been arranged for all those involved with the Christmas Day tragedy.

AAP RTV sjg/mjm

KEYWORD: ARROW (MELBOURNE)

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