A father has been sentenced to four years in prison after his 12-year-old son accidentally shot his best friend dead with a bolt-action hunting rifle.
The tragedy happened in Poland, Daily Mail reports, the young schoolboy, whose name has not been released, was at home playing with his friend from school, who also happened to be his neighbour.
Moving around the house, they found a real hunting rifle – a CZ-550 – which they reportedly thought was a toy.
As the pair were playing with the deadly weapon, reports said it went off and the boy’s best friend was fatally shot in the head.
By the time an ambulance arrived, the boy was already dead and paramedics were unable to help.
Prosecutors are blaming the father, whose name has also not been released, for improperly storing the weapon, which was stowed away in a place ‘easily accessible by children.
Adam Fudali, a gun expert and former police officer, told local media:
‘If the weapon got into the hands of the child, it was stored in a wrong way. This tragedy is the result of carelessness and neglect and it is a fault of the adult who should secure the weapons.’
The father, an avid hunter and gun owner, initially pleaded not guilty but in the end admitted it was his fault and that he had to accept the consequences of his son’s actions.
The court sentenced him to four years in prison. It was not reported who the child will stay with during his father’s absence.