Italy: Hobby hunter shoots himself
The 18-year-old junior world champion in clay pigeon shooting, Cristian Ghilli, accidentally shot himself during a recreational hunt in Tuscany.
In a tragic hunting accident in Tuscany, clay pigeon shooter Cristian Ghilli has died.
The 18-year-old junior world champion in shooting, Cristian Ghilli, accidentally shot himself during a recreational hunt.
Fatal shots on a hunting outing
It was meant to be an enjoyable hunting trip with friends. But it ended in tragedy. Italian skeet junior world champion Cristian Ghilli accidentally shot himself in the abdomen. Ghilli is reported to have bent forward to pick up fresh cartridges when he fired multiple shots into his own body.
Following the emergency call, two ambulances raced to the scene of the accident in the woods of Montecatini Val di Cecina near Pisa. Ghilli was taken to hospital, but during the subsequent emergency operation the bleeding could not be stopped quickly enough. The 18-year-old hobby hunter succumbed to his injuries.
A promising talent lost
Ghilli was one of the greatest talents in clay pigeon shooting. Last October, the young athlete was crowned junior world champion in the team and mixed team events in Lima, Peru, and won bronze in the individual competition. In May of the previous year, Ghilli had won gold in the individual, team, and mixed team events at the Junior European Championships in Croatia. This incident joins the long list of hunting accidents that claim lives and leave people injured every year.
