Police don’t know if shooting was accidental as Labor attacks opposition vow to scrap gun buyback announced after Bondi massacre.
The shooting of a 11-year-old boy in Sydney’s north-west was a “tragic reminder” of the danger of guns, the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has said while the opposition defends “backflipping” on a gun buyback.
The child was transported to Westmead Children’s hospital in a critical condition on Monday evening after suffering gunshot wounds to his face and neck at a unit in Norwest, NSW police said.
Five other people were home at the time, including four 18-year-old men and a 44-year-old woman, none of whom were injured.
One of the men was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence, while two of the other men were arrested and released pending further inquiries.
Speaking to ABC TV on Tuesday, Minns said it was an “incredibly distressing situation”.
Minns said the incident was a “very tragic reminder” of how guns were.
Supt Naomi Moore said on Monday night that police had no information to suggest the shooting was related to organised crime.
Following the Bondi beach terror attack, the state government introduced new legislation to undertake Australia’s biggest gun buyback in 30 years, with the scheme set to begin on 2 November this year.
The Liberal opposition voted with Labor in support of a buyback last year, but on Saturday said it would scrap Labor’s firearm ownership caps for primary producers.