Man shot in eye with BB gun pellet

A man has undergone surgery after being hit in the eye by a pellet from a BB gun in a drive-by shooting in Blenheim.

Police said today that the 23-year-old Brazilian man was looking at vehicles in a car yard on Grove Road yesterday when a passenger in a dark blue sedan fired pellets out of a BB gun.

One of the pellets ricocheted off a vehicle and entered the corner of his left eye socket, becoming lodged behind his nose.

He was subsequently flown to Nelson Hospital where he had surgery to remove the pellet.

Police said they did not believe the shooting was an intentional act.

But they wanted to hear from anyone with information that may lead to the identity of this vehicle and its occupants.

- NZPA