Gun Culture

Friday, September 24, 2004

Another lamping related shooting

Boy, 12, shot in ‘hunting’ area

A 12-year-old boy is in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in the head in an area popular with night time hunters, known as “lampers”.
The boy was walking near a golf course in Castleford with his father at 2030 BST on Thursday when he was shot.

A police spokeswoman said he was taken to Pontefract General Infirmary where he remains in a critical condition.

The father found his son with a gunshot wound after the pair were distracted by a bright light, she added.

West Yorkshire Police are trying to trace anyone who was in the area around Whitwood Golf Course at the time of the incident.

“They are particularly interested in anyone who may have seen or been using bright lights. The area is known to be popular with lampers,” the spokeswoman added.

The third such incident in the news in recent weeks.  I hope this will be the last.  After the previous two incidents, one would think that lampers would be doubly cautious.  Seemingly the message has not got through.
This incident is all the worse as it seems the perpertrators have chosen to run rather than face up to their crime - and crime it is.

Update
There is some talk that the weapon was an airgun and the perpertrators were kids.  Clearly this doesn’t make it any more excusable, but it does explain a few things.