Early Dawn in Nonhyeon-dong, Shooting While Circling Hannam Bridge
Police: "Shots Fired from Rear Seat While Moving"
A case occurred in the Gangnam-gu area of Seoul where a suspect drove around shooting BB pellets at pedestrians, prompting the police to launch an investigation.
According to the police on the 11th, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul is currently tracking suspect A, who is accused of shooting pedestrians with a BB gun around 3:35 a.m. in the Gangnam-gu area. The crime came to light after a pedestrian hit by a BB pellet reported to the police, saying, "I was hit (by a BB pellet)" and "He keeps shooting BB pellets around." At the time of the crime, A was driving around areas such as Nonhyeon-dong and Hannam Bridge in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The police believe that the suspect committed the crime from the back seat of the moving vehicle and plan to investigate based on the possibility that multiple people were involved in the crime.
The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Image of a BB gun [Image source: Provided by Korea Consumer Agency]
A BB (BB) gun is a model gun that fires plastic bullets and can be easily purchased at stationery stores or toy shops. However, if a person is injured by being shot with a BB gun, it is not considered ordinary injury but a special injury crime, which can lead to aggravated punishment. The special injury crime applies when injury is inflicted using a dangerous object. Also, when carrying toy guns or model guns, color parts made of brightly colored plastic such as orange, yellow, or blue must be attached. Even if it is a BB gun or a survival game gun and not a real firearm, removing the color parts or painting it to resemble a real gun can result in punishment under the Act on the Control of Firearms, Swords, and Explosives.
Recently, a man in his 50s who sprayed BB pellets at children playing in an apartment playground for "making noise" was sentenced to a fine. On the 2nd, the Suwon District Court Criminal Division 15 (Presiding Judge Hwang Un-seo) sentenced B (55 years old), who was indicted for special assault, to a fine of 5 million won.
On October 3rd last year, around 6:30 p.m., B fired a BB pistol multiple times at two children aged 9 and 11 in an apartment playground in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, because they were making noise while playing. One of the BB pellets fired by B hit the left temple of the 9-year-old child, and B was prosecuted for assaulting the victims with a dangerous object.
The court pointed out, "The defendant committed this crime only six months after completing a prison sentence for crimes such as intimidation," and added, "Considering the anxiety and mental damage the victim children and their parents may suffer, the nature of the crime is by no means light." Regarding the sentencing, the court explained, "However, the defendant is suffering from a serious mental illness and is in urgent need of treatment, and the defendant has pledged to receive treatment, so it was necessary to give an opportunity for reform, considering all factors comprehensively."
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