In the village of Gawłówka, Lublin region, a 60‑year‑old man was fatally shot. The District Prosecutor’s Office in Lubartów charged Slawomir A. with murder, as investigators claim he mistook the victim for a wild boar.
Hunter Faced Murder Charge
The District Prosecutor’s Office in Lubartów charged Slawomir A. with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a 60‑year‑old man that took place during the night of Saturday to Sunday, 16/17 August, while hunting, according to Polish Press Agency. According to investigators, the 40‑year‑old suspect, anticipating that his target could be a human and accepting that, acted with the eventual intent to deprive a man of life. He faces a sentence of at least ten years’ imprisonment up to life. The prosecutor concluded that the equipment the suspect possessed enabled him to identify the target he was shooting. The fact that he failed to identify it shows he acted with an eventual intent to kill. This means that though he may not have intended to kill, he accepted that outcome. It can be said that by not recognizing the target, he accepted that he would shoot a person, said prosecutor Joanna Dębiec of the Lublin prosecutor’s office.
Investigators’ Findings
On Saturday (16 August), around 10–11 p.m., three hunters began a hunt in the village of Młyniska in the Michów municipality of Lubartów County. They positioned themselves in a cornfield near the property owned by the victim’s family. They were hunting a wild boar that was expected to be in the area. At that same time, the 60‑year‑old man left his property gate, having been awakened by the sound of a passing vehicle. One of the hunters, as investigators determined, mistakenly believed it was a boar and fired, ultimately causing the victim’s death. The victim was found with a chest injury and a wound on the right forearm. He died at the scene.
Child Present During Hunt
During the night of Saturday to Sunday (16/17 August) emergency services received a report of a man being shot. A medical rescue team and police arrived at the scene. Information that it might be related to a nearby hunt appeared in local press almost immediately. The portal lublin112.pl was first to report on it. The same outlet revealed that officers had arrested three men, the hunters. The prosecutor’s office also informed the service that they were sober. One of them had taken his 12‑year‑old son along on the hunt. Police also undertook steps to verify whether the hunters were operating legally. In the case, Marcin Możdżonek, a politician affiliated with Confederation and president of the National Hunting Council, spoke. He confirmed that the arrested men were members of PZŁ. “I assure you that those named by the prosecution and judiciary will also face consequences within the ranks of the Polish Hunting Association,” he added.
