Police urge caution on pellet guns after Holden incident

By Globe Staff

Holden police are warning people to be careful with pellet guns after an incident in their town last night in which a young man was wounded in the head with one.

Police say they were called to a home in the Jefferson neighborhood and found a 23-year-old man with a serious head wound. He was transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center.

An initial investigation found that a friend of the victim, a 21-year-old, was holding a .177-caliber air rifle when it discharged striking the victim in the back of the head.

The shooting appeared to be accidental, but it is still under investigation, police said.

Both men are members of the US military, and the accident happened despite their extensive firearms training, police noted.

"We encourage all to be cognizant of the dangers involved with these weapons," police said in a statement.