Teenager shot after bullet bounces off cow's skull

A teenager in New Zealand underwent emergency surgery after being hit by a bullet which ricocheted off a cow's head during a homekill which went wrong in north-west Auckland. Police said the accident happened on a rural farm property in Helensville, when a slaughterman reportedly shot a cow in the head.

The bullet ricocheted off the animal's head and hit the slaughterman's 18-year-old assistant in the shoulder. The victim was flown to Auckland Hospital. A hospital spokeswoman said the teen was in a critical condition.



A police spokesman said the cow did not die from the initial gun shot, but was later shot dead by police. He said the animal was knocked out by the first bullet but was still moving.

The spokesman said the slaughterman did not kill the animal with a second shot because he was concerned about his assistant. He said police had not alerting the SPCA about the incident because the slaughterman "did not have evil intent".