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Man charged over fatal hunting shooting

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Man charged over fatal hunting shooting

3News NZ

The man has been charged with careless use of a firearm

The man has been charged with careless use of a firearm

A 24-year-old Wanaka man has been charged after the fatal shooting of his hunting companion just before Christmas.

The man was charged with careless use of a firearm causing death after Dougal Fyfe was shot on a rural property in the Mangawera Valley, just outside Wanaka, while they were rabbit shooting on December 19.

The arrested man, who refused to be interviewed by police, has been granted bail and will reappear in Queenstown District Court on March 19, Sergeant Aaron Nicholson of Wanaka Police said.

Mr Fyfe was shot in the back of the head after he and a colleague had gone into a manuka patch to chase a deer, and died at the scene.

NZN

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Comments

22/04/2012 6:04:24 p.m.

Anaru wrote:

Yes Paora, I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately that's exactly what happened on Auckland's Western motorway recently where an innocent Courier Driver was shot dead by someone who didn't appear to check his line of fire and no one was charged with anything. It seems some sectors of our society are treated as being above the law, transparency is thrown out the window and the perpetrator does not have to face the same justice process everyone else is forced to follow.

22/04/2012 4:09:11 p.m.

Paora wrote:

There are too many instances where essential rules of gun use are not adhered to. A primary 'Gun Safety' rule is to "Identify your target and to check your line of fire" by positioning yourself so a shot when fired, will not hit anything unintentionally. People who shoot another person by 'accident' are likely to have failed to follow one or both sections of this rule and Police should rightfully prosecute any person including fellow police, with "Careless use of a firearm causing death" as happened to the person in the case above. It is important everyone should be seen to be treated with equal transparency particularly where an innocent person has been shot, regardless of who the perpetrator is. The charge should then be tested before a court of law and not dealt with in secrecy behind closed doors.