A nine-year-old boy died on Sunday after the “unintentional discharge of a firearm” on a property in southern NSW, according to NSW Police.
Police have since charged a 14-year-old boy and a 33-year-old man with firearms offences over the incident.
Both will face court next month.
Details
Emergency services responded to reports of an accidental shooting at Windellama, near Goulburn, on Sunday.
A nine-year-old boy was treated for serious neck injuries but died at the scene.
Authorities later confirmed that the boy had been fatally injured after a firearm was unintentionally fired.
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NSW Police arrested a 14-year-old boy and a 33-year-old man.
The 14-year-old boy was charged with possessing an unauthorised firearm. He was granted conditional bail to appear before a children’s court in mid-May.
The 33-year-old man faces charges of allowing an unauthorised person to possess a firearm and failing to safely store a firearm. He will also appear at a local court next month.
Gun laws
After the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996, the country’s deadliest mass shooting, Australian states and territories implemented strict firearm regulations.
In NSW, using or supplying an unregistered firearm carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment, depending on the kind of gun.
Firearm ownership in NSW also comes with the responsibility of safe storage, particularly away from children. Unsafely storing a firearm carries a maximum penalty of a $2,200 fine and/or 12 months’ imprisonment.
