The popularity of air weapons is increasing. They are often viewed as toys, rather than potentially lethal weapons. Regulations on purchase and ownership of air weapons differ from country to country. The majority of fatal and non-fatal air gun accidents involve children less than 16 years of age. Case presentation: In this report, we present a fatal case resulting from an accident involving an air gun. An accident happened between two brothers aged 9 and 7 and was initially considered to be a

more »

... raumatic wound inflicted by falling on a scooter handle. Upon the arrival of an experienced police inspector, the cause of child's death was called into question and it was discovered that unlicensed, loaded air gun was left unattended in a backyard shed. It was later established that the cause of death was a fatal gunshot wound to the chest and a pointed lead pellet was found in the boy's liver. Conclusions: The public and governments should be advised that air guns can be dangerous weapons which may cause serious injuries and even death. We believe that air guns should be regulated by the same laws that apply to firearms.