THE victim of an unprovoked late night air rifle attack in Exmouth, which left him with a pellet embedded in his thumb, a broken bone and unable to work for a week, has spoken out in the hope of protecting future victims.
The 21-year-old Exmouth man who works in food retail and asked for his identity to be protected, said he had a "lucky escape" because if he had been hit in the eye, he could have been blinded, or if it had hit his neck, it could have severed an artery.
The young man was shot at as he and a female friend walked home after a night out in the town on the corner of the Parade and Exeter Road.
He explained that he and his companion were shot at several times – his friend in her back, causing bruising.
He said he had no idea where he was being fired at from, nor whether the attack was deliberately malicious or if he was the butt of a dangerous joke.
In his humble response to the incident, he added that as a man of 6'3" stature, he was able to deal with the incident, but he fears a child, or more vulnerable person may have suffered far worse consequences.
Police are appealing for anyone with any information about who was behind the attack, which occurred at around 3am – 3.30am on Thursday, November 20, to contact them urgently so no more harm can come to anyone else.
"I finished work just after midnight and went straight out afterwards for a couple of drinks with friends and then to the Q Club," he said.
"Afterwards, my friends went on ahead and it was when myself and a friend got to the corner of Exeter Road that we heard a popping noise.
"I felt a burning sensation on my thumb and looked down to see a metal object lodged in it and pouring with blood, and then the pain set in.
"I heard another couple of pops, two or three more, and heard one whizz past my head.
"I was just concerned about getting us out of there, I had no idea where it was coming from.
"I was concerned for our safety so started running down Exeter Road by which point the popping stopped."
Further down the road, he called an ambulance which took him to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital where he had to wait over an hour for a doctor to become available to remove the pellet, by which point his thumb was throbbing in pain which had become so extreme he was administered gas and air and morphine.
An X-ray revealed that the impact of the shot had fractured his thumb and due to the extent of the injury he had to take a week off work.
A testament to his good nature, he said he could take a joke, but stressed that people need to be aware of how much harm air rifles can cause.
"It could have been far worse if it hit me anywhere else, such as in the eye or in my neck," he continued. "And if this was to happen to a child, the damage could have been far worse.
"I just want to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else and protect other people from a potentially worse fate."
Anyone with any information please should phone police on 101 quoting the crime number, CR/ 121277/14, or anonymously via Crimestoppers by phoning, 0800 555111.
