A 12-year-old boy was injured Monday evening after accidentally shooting himself in the head with a pellet gun.
Police were called to the 1300-block of Courtland Ave. in the Colquitz area after the boy hit the trigger instead of the safety while the gun was placed below his head.
The pellet travelled through the chin and into his mouth, where it was initially believed to have lodged in his palate.
“Scans at the hospital couldn’t find the pellet, so he’s thought to have swallowed it or spit it out without remembering,” said Saanich police public information officer Sgt. Dean Jantzen.
The boy was released from hospital with minor injuries.
Pellet guns are legal to purchase in Saanich, but firing one off constitutes a bylaw offence. The boy had been shooting items in his backyard before being injured.
Jantzen says the incident is a good reminder for parents to ensure children are supervised and know how to use pellet guns in a safe manner.
kslavin@saanichnews.com
