A golfer from Ladysmith experienced the wrong kind of shooting on Thursday after he was struck by a bullet at the Winchelsea View Golf Course in Lantzville.
According to Nanaimo RCMP, the 60-year-old man was golfing alone at about 4:30 p.m. on August 31 when the incident occurred.
“He’s just finishing up his round when suddenly he felt an intense pain, a super intense pain, in his lower leg, which actually knocked him to the ground,” Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, told the Nanaimo News Bulletin.
Suspected Spider Bite Turns Out To Be Bullet
“The golfers actually did some first aid because there was some blood on the back of his leg,” O’Brien said. “He initially thought it was a spider bite, like a massive spider bite, because you just wouldn’t think you’re going to get shot.”
The man then drove himself back to Ladysmith after several other golfers helped him off the course.
But on the drive home, the pain worsened, causing the man to stop by the Ladysmith Community Health Centre. There, an X-ray revealed the bullet lodged in his calf.
“They pulled it out and dressed the wound and everything is good. He’s going to make a full recovery,” O’Brien said.
Gunfire Heard Nearby Throughout The Day
Upon investigating, police discovered that nearby gunfire had been heard sporadically throughout the day.
The cause may have been some irresponsible target practice. The shooting is believed to be the result of a random, errant bullet, rather than a targeted attack.
“The first rule of thumb, when it comes to firearms, is know your target, know what’s beyond it,” said O’Brien.
“This could have been a tragic situation. This is the last thing someone should have to worry about when they’re out golfing on a beautiful day. Absolutely unacceptable and the people who did it have to be held accountable or at least come forward or, at the end of the day, at least accept responsibility for what they’ve done and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Anyone who has information about this incident or believes they might be responsible for the injury are asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.
