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A ‘gun maniac’ shoots a passer-by

Published: 20 Jan. 2010, 21:05

Police said Tuesday that a 39-year-old suspect surnamed Lee, who allegedly fired an air rifle from his apartment on Monday, injuring a high school student, is a timid “gun maniac” who loves firearms.

Lee shoots BB guns in the air whenever he suffers stress, a spokesman for the Sujeong Police Precinct in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, said.

Investigators allegedly discovered four M16 rifles and one British-made air rifle in Lee’s apartment, as well as two bags with some 1,000 BB bullets in each, two boxes of air rifle bullets with about 400 bullets each and roughly 50 shotgun bullets.

Police said Lee told them he bought the shotgun bullets for practice at a local shooting range. Neighbors said they had seen Lee practicing with his BB guns at a parking lot near the apartment, according to investigators.

Lee’s family reportedly told police that the suspect was knowledgeable about many guns.

Lee’s older brother said that Lee joined a shooting club four or five years ago and used to play a survival game with club members on weekends.

An owner of a gun shop said Lee bought the air rifle there last October. The owner also said Lee did not talk much, but intently looked over many kinds of guns.

Lee was authorized to possess guns because he did not have any physical defects and submitted the required documents. However, Lee’s family said he was diagnosed with depression four years ago and has been getting treatment since May 2008.

Starting Tuesday, police were given 40 days in which to issue administrative penalties to unqualified air gun license holders across the country. Currently, there are 520,823 license holders, police said.

On the same day, the Sujeong precinct sought a warrant to detain Lee. Investigators have charged him with attempted murder.

Around 7 p.m. on Monday, the 17-year-old high school student was hit in the left knee and taken to a nearby hospital; officials said his injuries were not severe.

Investigators called to the scene allegedly discovered several traces of bullets that had penetrated the wooden poles of a pavilion on the playground. Police said Lee was hiding in his room when they arrested him.

The suspect has denied the charges and said he did not aim at any person, but simply shot in the air in order to warn children playing on the playground to be quiet.

By Lee Jeong-bong, Lee Min-yong [[email protected]]