Pretoria - A 36-year-old man has been arrested after he “accidentally” shot and killed his seven-month-old son with a pellet rifle at their home in Maololo, GaMashabela village under the Masemola policing area.
“Police attended to the complaint after the child's parents rushed him to the local clinic where he was certified dead on arrival, after he suffered a gunshot to the chest,” Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said.
“Both parents were interviewed and it was revealed that the child's father was hunting for birds with a pellet rifle next to their home when the child was accidentally shot.”
Ledwaba said the suspect, who is the child’s father, was arrested and charged with murder.
Police have since confiscated the pellet rifle.
“The investigation is continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident,” said Ledwaba.
Acting Provincial Police Commissioner Major General Jan Scheepers has condemned the incident.
“The communities need to practise safety at all times when handling these types of weapons,” said Scheepers.
The 36-year-old father is due to appear in the Nebo Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Last year, a 32-year-old Limpopo man was arrested for the negligent handling of a firearm after he allegedly gave his 13-year-old son a licensed firearm “for protection”.
At the time, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the incident happened at Rabali Village in the Mphephu policing area, and the father appeared in Mphephu Magistrate’s Court.
“The two suspects (father and son) were arrested after members of the community noticed that the boy was armed with a firearm while he was playing with his friends and they immediately called the police.
“Upon arrival at the scene, police found the boy armed with a 9mm pistol with an empty magazine and he was arrested,” Mojapelo said.
The teenager informed police that the firearm belonged to his father.
IOL