A young man is in hospital in a serious condition after being hit by a bullet that ricocheted off an animal he was helping to kill at Hellensville north of Auckland.
Police say a professional home-kill slaughterman shot the cow, but the bullet hit its head and bounced back, hitting his 18-year-old assistant in the shoulder. The accident happened just after 11am Thursday.
A helicopter took him to hospital
Police say the Department of Labour will be investigating.
