REVOLVER SHOT

Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1932, Page 6

REVOLVER SHOT

CAUSES ALARM

IN CITY BANK

AUCKLAND, May 27

The report, of a revolver- startled the customers of a city bank at about noon to-day. A tell 1 er, who was cleaning the weapon for use in the event of a bank hold-up, fired the revolver accidentally,, the bullet fortunately penetrating’ a thick wooden beam on the floor .'behind the counter. It appears that- news had just bee’ received .of the sensational attack and robbery in Victoria Street. With visions of a possible hold-up in the bank, the,,teller took his revolver from the drawer and commenced ' . cleaning it. The weapon was., loaded, and suddenly went off with,a shattering report that caused everyone in the building to jump--with alarm... : Tellers and customers rushed to the grilles behind which the shot had been fired, expecting to find tile dead body ot a bank robber. Instead, they discovered an imcomforfaßte’ teller sheepishly-exam-ining a smoking . pistol. -nThe bullet was buried deep in a wooden beam oil the floor.

The man who fired the revolver had recently been-taking lessons in th e use of tile weapon, and it was fortunate that he had remembered in handling it the cardinal precaution to be observed in revolver practice, namely,to point the weapon 'downward. Had the barrel been held level or pointed in an_ upward direction, the bullet would have caused som© damage.

Havmg f satisfied themselves that the shot was purely accidental, the -staff and customers resumed their norhial business.