In Germany, a hobby hunter shoots his own daughter during a hunting trip. Fatal hunting accidents are on the rise.
Hobby hunter shoots his own daughter
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A deadly tragedy in Baden-Württemberg: A father is handling his rifle when a shot suddenly fires — accidentally, investigators are largely certain.
A shot was discharged from the 56-year-old’s combination gun while he was preparing for a hobby hunting trip in his apartment in Ettlingen, police and prosecutors in Karlsruhe announced. The shot struck his 19-year-old daughter so severely that she died in hospital.
Negligent homicide: Investigation launched
Based on investigations so far, the incident is being treated as a “tragic accident,” authorities said. The hobby hunter is now being investigated for negligent homicide. The firearm was legally in his possession.
The IG Wild beim Wild has been calling for years for hobby hunters to be required to undergo regular medical and psychological fitness assessments.
Why the man kept the weapon loaded at home, or why he handled a loaded weapon, is not known.The weapon should not have been loaded at the time the shot was fired. As a general rule, firearms may only be loaded during a hunt or at a shooting range. Why hobby hunting is a animal welfare issue is explained in the dossier of the same name.
Hunting accidents: DJV figures are fabricated
The number of hunting accidents involving firearms varies from year to year. According to research by the Initiative for the Abolition of Hunting, many people were also killed and injured in 2018.
Members of the German Hunting Association (DJV) are spreading misinformation. Following the tragic accident, the following DJV statement appeared in the media everywhere: “The number of hunting accidents involving firearms varies from year to year. According to figures from the German Hunting Association, two people were killed and two injured in 2017.” Now for the facts behind the hunters’ tall tales — the real number is at least 30 deaths. It is striking that women in hobby hunter families in particular live in extremely dangerous conditions.
In Switzerland too: Hobby hunters endanger human lives
«How many people have to die or be seriously injured before hobby hunting is finally banned?» says Carl Sonnthal for the IG Wild beim Wild. «Year after year, countless tragedies occur because trigger-happy recreational hunters shoot around irresponsibly. Legislative intervention is long overdue.»
The IG Wild beim Wild points out that every year, not only are thousands of animals caused considerable suffering through missed shots, but several dozen people are also killed and injured by hobby hunters. It is not uncommon for hobby hunters to be under the influence of alcohol.
In Switzerland, too, the risk group of recreational hunters causes more human casualties and fatalities every year than Islamic terrorists, cults, the mafia, and biker gangs combined.
In the years 2011 to 2015, a total of 1’526 injuries from hunting accidents were recorded by accident insurance providers. In addition, there were at least a good dozen fatalities — and this only within the hobby hunting community itself! The risk posed to third parties by hobby hunters cannot be determined from accident insurers’ data. There are also no statistics with more detailed breakdowns for the various cantons. More on this in the category Crime & Hunting.
More on the topic of hobby hunting: In our Hunting Dossier we compile fact checks, analyses, and background reports.