Boy involved in shooting accident discharged from hospital

An 8-year-old boy who had about 130 pellets removed from his face after being shot accidentally was discharged from Shanghai No. 9 People's Hospital yesterday.

An 8-year-old boy who had about 130 pellets removed from his face after being shot accidentally was discharged from Shanghai No. 9 People's Hospital yesterday.

Doctors said the boy is in a stable condition and can swallow food now since the wounds inside his mouth had healed.

The boy had surgery on August 20, when doctors removed about 90 pellets. After recovering, doctors removed more pellets during an operation on August 26.

Doctors said he would return in three months so they can check the wounds and discuss facial repair surgery options with his parents, doctors said.

The boy, surnamed Cai, comes from a village in Feidong County of Anhui Province. He was playing with some children on August 19 when a 13-year-old boy showed the kids a hunting gun he stole from a neighbor. One kid accidentally fired the gun and shot Cai in the face.

The gun was used for shooting rabbits, Anhui police said.

The blast destroyed the skin and muscle on the whole right side of Cai's face, while his right eye socket was also damaged.

Xu Ying, a hospital official, said it was fortunate Cai's right eyeball was not injured.