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On Saturday, 19 year old Lincoln Dwehene was at his Gales Point home with his 18 year old common law wife and their baby boy Dashawn. Dwehene went to get the pellet gun from the bedroom and according to police, he didn't know the safety wasn't activated, and pointed it at the infant. The gun went off - hitting him in the lower back. Police told us more about this case.

Insp. Wilfred Ferrufino, CIB -Belize City
"On Saturday, June ninth, Dangriga police visited the Southern Regional Hospital and they encountered a four-month-old child suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the left, lower back. The mother of the child, Tyreeka Welch, an eighteen-year-old resident of Gales Point, reported to police that sometime that day the father of the child, Lincoln Dwehene, a nineteen-year-old of the same village, picked up a pellet gun and pointed it at the child, not realizing that the weapon was loaded and not on safety. He pulled the trigger and inflicted the injury on the child. The baby is at the hospital at K.H.M.H. in a stable condition is expected to recover. The matter is being investigated. Well charges, depending on the certification of the medico-legal form, then that would be the charges that would be levied on the father."

Isani Cayetano
"Despite this not being a, quote on quote, real firearm can't there be charges of negligence being brought against the father for discharging the firearm, at least in the presence of the minor?"

Insp. Wilfredo Ferrufino
"As you indicated, it's not a firearm, however, I am sure that the investigators will be seeking advice from the D.P.P.'s office."

Again, no charges for use of the gun can be brought because a pellet gun is not considered a firearm and no licence is needed for it. There can be charges for harm, wounding ore grievous harm to the infant, who is stable and expected to recover from his injuries.