BY RAYMART ESCOPEL
ILOILO City – A resident of Brgy. San Isidro, La Paz district was brought to the Iloilo Mission Hospital for injuries believed to have been inflicted by an airsoft gun.
Noelito Belleza, 23, had wounds in his abdomen.
But according to the attending physician at the hospital, an x-ray also showed Belleza’s ribcage injured, and that a small pellet penetrated his body.
Prior to his hospitalization, Belleza was at the wake of an acquaintance. Around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, he decided to go out and buy cigarettes at a nearby store.
At the hospital, Belleza recounted that while walking, he heard bursts of gunfire.
It was only upon his return to the wake that he noticed his injuries. Friends took him to the hospital.
Belleza believes what hit him was an airsoft gun.
Airsoft guns are replica firearms, or a special type of air guns that fire either plastic or environment-safe pellets.
These guns are used in airsoft, a sport in which participants eliminate opponents by hitting each other with spherical non-metallic pellets. Players are required to wear protective gear to avoid injuries.
The La Paz police station is investigating the incident./PN
