‘Much-loved’ teen killed after friend ‘accidentally’ shot him in eye with air rifle

School friends of a ‘much-loved’ teenager tried to do CPR after he was shot by an air rifle in a ‘tragic accident’.

Connor Bell, 17, from Tadley, in Basingstoke, suffered fatal injuries after he was accidentally shot with an air rifle at a house party with friends.

The pellet entered through his right eye socket, causing an ‘unsurvivable’ brain injury and cardiac arrest. He died at Southampton General Hospital two days later on Monday 10 November.

At his inquest in Winchester today the coroner ruled that it was an ‘accidental death’.

One of his friends took out the .177 calibre rifle so the friends could shoot at bottles in the garden.

But when Jack Beechy went to put it away with Bell standing nearby, he fired the rifle by mistakenly thinking it was empty and missing the safety catch.

The then 17-year-old boy was initially arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. But he will face no further action after prosecutors spoke to Connor’s family.

In a heartbreaking tribute, Connor’s family said: ‘Connor was a much-loved boy, who was very sporty and had a large circle of friends.

‘This was a tragic accident which led to the loss of Connor. His friends conducted CPR at the scene, which allowed our son to be an organ donor and save lives. He has since been awarded an Order of St John in recognition of his donation.’

They added: ‘This incident was a tragedy for all the families involved and we are all supporting each other at this incredibly difficult time.

‘We would like to remind the public about the potential dangers of air rifles and the care needed to ensure they are safely stored. They should only be used by people with the necessary skills and weapon-handling training.’

As part of our initial enquiries, a 17-year-old boy from Tadley, now aged 18, was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Are air rifles legal in the UK?

Yes, in England and Wales, most air rifles are legal to own without a licence if they are below the legal power limit of 12 ft/lb (16.27 joules) muzzle energy. Any air rifles above that threshold require a Firearm Certificate (FAC) and are treated as firearms.

You must generally be 18 or over to buy an air rifle.

It is illegal to fire pellets beyond the boundary of the land where you have permission to shoot.

You can usually shoot on private land, including a garden, provided it is safe and pellets do not leave the property.

Air rifles must be stored securely to prevent access by under-18s.