A 17-year-old boy, Connor Bell, died after being accidentally shot in the head with an air rifle at a house party in Chineham, Hampshire, an inquest has heard. The teenager suffered a severe brain injury after a pellet entered through his right eye socket and died two days later in hospital.
Winchester Coroner’s Court heard that the incident occurred on November 8 last year when a group of teenage boys were drinking alcohol and using an air rifle to shoot at targets in a garden. Hampshire Area Coroner Jason Pegg concluded that Connor’s death was an accident and highlighted the dangers of handling air rifles while under the influence of alcohol.
Connor Bell Death Case: What Happened at the Hampshire House Party?
According to evidence presented at the inquest, Connor was at a house in Chineham, Hampshire, with friends when the incident occurred. The group had been drinking alcohol, including vodka and cider, while an air rifle was being used to shoot at targets in the garden.
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The inquest heard that the weapon had also been waved around and pointed at people in a joking manner during the gathering.
Jack Beechey, who was 18 at the time of the inquest, accidentally fired the rifle while attempting to engage its safety mechanism. Connor was standing beside him when the pellet struck his head.
Connor Bell Air Rifle Shooting: How Did the Fatal Incident Occur?
Beechey told the inquest that he had taken the rifle upstairs to put it away after being asked to do so. After noticing additional pellets in the magazine, he decided to discharge them before storing the weapon.
He said he fired the rifle in the garden before returning to the kitchen. While attempting to put the safety catch on, the weapon discharged as Connor stood nearby.
The pellet entered through Connor’s right eye socket and caused a severe brain injury. He was taken to Southampton General Hospital, where he died two days later.
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