Taipei police yesterday arrested a senior high school student on suspicion of injuring a female university student when he fired a pistol.
Police said the victim was a National Taiwan University (NTU) student, surnamed Wu, who was studying by a window in her dormitory on the NTU campus on Xuzhou Rd on Tuesday at 7pm when a bullet grazed her waist.
RICOCHETING BULLET
Luckily, because of the recent low temperatures, Wu was dressed in several layers of clothing and as a result the bullet only injured her slightly, police said.
The bullet first hit a wall in the room where Wu was studying and then ricocheted and grazed her, police said.
Police later arrested a student, surnamed Chou, who was attending a night school program at Kainan High School of Commerce and Industry. The high school is located near the NTU campus.
ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE
Police said at the time of the incident Chou had been in class with his classmates at the high school.
Chou's account, as relayed by the police, was that he was showing off the gun, but was teased by others that it was just a toy. So he walked to a window and pointed it outside when the gun suddenly discharged accidentally in his hand.
Police said the bullet traveled from the fourth-floor classroom, crossed Xuzhou Rd, and hit Wu's dormitory room on the fourth floor.
FACING CHARGES
Police said Chou did not go to school following the incident, but instead reported to police yesterday morning accompanied by his family.
He handed over the gun and bullets, which he said were mailed to him by a friend, who had asked him to keep them safe, police said.
Chou will be charged with a violation of the Statute Regulating Firearms, Ammunition, Knives and Other Deadly Weapons (槍砲彈藥刀械管制條例) and for causing bodily harm, police said.
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