China girl, 11, suffers from shrapnel in body after being shot by neighbour, family seeks fresh probe 8 years later
- Girl was playing when neighbour ‘accidentally’ blasted her with shotgun
- Youngster struggles to exercise, breathing impaired by shrapnel and negatively impacts disposition
The family of an 11-year-old girl in China who lives with shotgun shrapnel embedded in her body has asked the police to reopen the investigation into the “accidental” shooting.
Eight years ago, while just a toddler, the girl, known as Xiaotong, from Yunnan province in the southwest of the country, was shot by a neighbour, according to the news outlet New Yellow River.
The shooter, surnamed Zhou, was 22 years old at the time and told police that he had borrowed the shotgun from his friend and was checking the weapon, which he had never used before.
He said he carelessly pulled the trigger, thinking he could not hit Xiaotong, who was several metres away.
Shotguns contain metal pellets called “shots” and spray metal balls over a wide range when fired. A total of 27 of the shots hit Xiaotong, and she was rushed to the hospital.
Doctors were able to remove four pellets and some additional shrapnel from the girl’s head and spine. They could not extract the other 23 pieces scattered in her lung, back, leg and kidney due to Xiaotong’s tender age.