Airgun Tragedy in Glasgow, Scotland

A two-year old boy was recently shot in the head by an air weapon in a heavily built-up area of Glasgow.  He was taken to hospital, but sadly died within a few days.  Surgeons were apparently unable to operate, as the pellet was lodged too deeply in the child's brain.

According to press reports, the incident occurred while a number of individuals were firing airguns at a team of fire-fighters who were in the process of tackling a blaze nearby, and it has been reported that a 27 year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

It is incomprehensible to normal law-abiding citizens how such an incident could have occurred, or what kind of sick mind would be capable of shooting at fire-fighters, or indeed any other person,  especially in circumstances where a young child could be hit?

Together with country sportsmen throughout the world, this Association absolutely condemns the actions of the person or persons responsible for this atrocity, and arrangements are being made to meet urgently with all organisations similar to ourselves in an effort to try to find a workable method of reducing the chances of such a horrific incident happening again.

There have already been the predictable knee-jerk reactions from politicians and pressure groups, talking about banning all guns/ airguns/ licensing airguns, etc. and with our Parliamentary Elections looming within the next 2 months, some political parties will no doubt cynically jump on the bandwagon and try to use this tragedy for their own political ends.

Sadly, as we country sportsmen know, there is no form of regulation or licensing, even a complete ban, which would have any effect on crimes of this type, which are committed by individuals who clearly have no regard for the law as it exists, and will ignore any new laws which come into force.

The country sports community in this country may have to come up with some method of self-regulation, to prove to the population as a whole that we are genuinely responsible in our behaviour, and are as sickened by this kind of crime as is everyone else.

Failure to demonstrate that we regulate ourselves and that this type of crime is not linked in any way to legitimate use of firearms, would leave the way open to unnecessary and restrictive legislation which will inconvenience vast numbers of genuine sportsmen without preventing a single occurrence of this type of sick, random crime.

A Press Release has been sent to all of the major newspapers, making it clear that our members condemn what has happened, and offering to enter talks with the Scottish Executive and Police Forces to explore any measures which would work in practice.

"Yet another horrific incident has taken place in Scotland involving the deliberate misuse of an air-weapon.

This time a young boy was apparently deliberately shot, again in the head, by an airgun of some kind.  The incident happened in Edinburgh, although thankfully this time the child survived, after surgery to have a pellet removed from his skull. Apparently a 14 year old youth has been charged in connection with the incident.

There can be no doubt that incidents of this type are carried out deliberately, by urban thugs who have sick, warped minds which normal people can't even begin to understand.

Once again the country sports community is appalled at the incident, and we must continue to make every effort to explain to the general public that this type of crime is as despicable to us as to anyone else.

We must also target those who would cynically use the incident as propaganda to bring in further pointless restrictions on guns of all types, especially in the lead-up to a general election.

This Association will once again contact all of the appropriate people in Government, in an effort to ensure that no 'knee-jerk' reaction is taken.

It goes without saying that each and every one of us should report immediately anyone who appears to be carrying out such an act, or pass on any information which would help the Police to apprehend such individuals before incidents occur.

In the meantime, please keep a look-out for biased articles in your local press.  If you find one, please pass the details to SACS via this website, and we will ensure that an appropriate response is made."