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French shooting show injures 16 | French shooting show injures 16 |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A military shooting demonstration in south east France has left 16 people wounded, after real bullets were used instead of blanks. | A military shooting demonstration in south east France has left 16 people wounded, after real bullets were used instead of blanks. |
Four of the wounded are in a critical condition, including a young child. | Four of the wounded are in a critical condition, including a young child. |
A Defence Ministry official said the incident occurred during a demonstration of hostage-freeing techniques at a barracks in Aude. | A Defence Ministry official said the incident occurred during a demonstration of hostage-freeing techniques at a barracks in Aude. |
The soldier who fired the shots has been detained. It is not clear why the wrong ammunition was used. | The soldier who fired the shots has been detained. It is not clear why the wrong ammunition was used. |
Reports from the scene say the hostage scenario had been acted out five times before a crowd at the Laperrine military barracks, near Carcassonne, when on the sixth take real bullets began flying through the air, and onlookers fell to the ground. | Reports from the scene say the hostage scenario had been acted out five times before a crowd at the Laperrine military barracks, near Carcassonne, when on the sixth take real bullets began flying through the air, and onlookers fell to the ground. |
In a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his horror at the incident and said he was urgently waiting for the results of an official investigation. | In a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his horror at the incident and said he was urgently waiting for the results of an official investigation. |
A regional official, Bernard Lemaire, told France 3 radio that it is thought the incident was accidental but that foul play has not been ruled out. | A regional official, Bernard Lemaire, told France 3 radio that it is thought the incident was accidental but that foul play has not been ruled out. |
"The question being asked is 'Did the soldier engage in a criminal act or not?'," Mr Lemaire said. | "The question being asked is 'Did the soldier engage in a criminal act or not?'," Mr Lemaire said. |
"For now, no-one can answer that, but the theory being worked on is one of error," he added. | "For now, no-one can answer that, but the theory being worked on is one of error," he added. |
The critically injured victims were taken to hospital in Toulouse. | The critically injured victims were taken to hospital in Toulouse. |