A 48-year-old Duncan man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the shooting of an arrow into the chest of his 70-year-old father.
Cpl. Jon Stuart said Tuesday that Marvin Antoniuk Jr. has been charged with attempted murder. His father, Marvin Antoniuk Sr., is in Victoria General Hospital in critical but stable condition after the arrow penetrated his chest.
Police were summoned Sunday to 1658 Maple Bay Rd., where the phone is listed as belonging to a Marvin Antoniuk.
Police arrived to find the older man with an arrow embedded in his chest, said Duncan/North Cowichan Cpl. Jon Stuart in a statement. The injured man was flown by helicopter to Victoria General Hospital. On Monday evening he was in critical but stable condition.
Marvin Antoniuk Jr. appeared today before a justice of the peace and was remanded in custody. He appears in Duncan provincial court on Thursday.
News of the shooting dismayed two executive members of the Cowichan Bowmen archery club.
“It’s really disturbing because we try to promote this as a safe sport,” said club vice-president Roger Walker.
Various kinds of arrows are available, but even a target-shooting arrow could penetrate a man’s chest, said Walker.
Club director Richard Browning said the arrow likely would have a “broadhead” or hunting point on it to puncture a person’s chest.
With 250 members from Greater Victoria to Ladysmith, the club is enjoying newfound popularity thanks to the movies like The Hunger Games, in which the teenage heroine is a savvy archer.
New members have to satisfy the club’s safety committee that they know what they’re doing before access to the range is granted, Walker said.
Archery equipment is not restricted and no licence is required to purchase it.
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