Shanghai shooter jailed one year for fatal accident involving teammate

SHANGHAI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese sports shooter was sentenced to one year in prison with one-year reprieve for accidentally shooting and killing his teammate in December 2007, according to a ruling handed down by a Shanghai court on Tuesday.

The shooter, surnamed Chen, was a member of Shanghai's skeet shooting reserve team. The accident happened around 6:40 p.m. on Dec. 3 when he loaded a shotgun bullet in his gun and shot at his teammate Chen Zejun's stomach during a night training session at the Shanghai Shooting and Archery Sport Centre, the Minhang District People's Court said.

Chen Zejun, 20, died later in hospital.

Chen said he thought the bullet was a dud and he had aimed at his teammate jokingly. The trigger was then accidentally pulled.

The court said one could be sentenced up to three years for committing manslaughter by mistake. But Chen received a lighter sentence because he pleaded guilty and the victim's family had been financially compensated.