Boy struck by airgun pellets at city dairy

Whangarei police are investigating how a 4-year-old boy was struck with airgun pellets while shopping in the city suburb of Otangarei yesterday.

A 17-year-old boy and 25-year-old man are suspected of firing an airgun toward the Otangarei Superette in William Jones Drive about 11.45am, police communications officer Sarah Kennett said.

"The pellets ricocheted and hit the boy in his legs, causing minor injuries," she said.

Ms Kennett did not know whether the airgun was a pistol or rifle, how many pellets were fired, how many struck the boy or the extent of his injuries.

"No arrests have been made. Police are still investigating," she said. A witness said the boy had been with his brother, aged about 5, and their father shopping in the superette when the incident took place.

"The kids were looking at lollies and the father was being served when something flew past and the [4-year-old] boy started crying," the witness said.

"The father went outside and started swearing at a person in a car, which then drove off."

The father and boys went to a house opposite the shopping centre, where it is understood the boys were staying with their grandmother.

The witness said a noisy argument later outside the house had stopped when police arrived.

The Northern Advocate photographed police at the house.

The boy believed to have been hit by airgun pellets was with other youngsters outside the house and seemed to have got over the worst of his injury.

The grandmother and a man - not the father - at the house declined to comment, other than the man saying publication of the incident would start a gang war.

Airgun incidents have had a high profile in recent years.

An undercover policeman was shot dead with an airgun while trying to plant a tracking device on a car in 2008, and an Auckland man was killed with the same sort of weapon in 2010.

Soon after the second death, Police Minister Judith Collins said a move to require people to be licensed to own high-powered air rifles could become law within a few months and would apply to pre-charged pneumatic air guns, but not to older-style, spring-loaded airguns, guns powered by CO2 cartridges, BB guns or paintball guns.