Girl, nine, shot with airgun in ‘racially aggravated assault’ in Bristol

Police seek white male suspect and are treating incident as a hate crime after traumatised' victim hit three times

A nine-year-old girl was shot with an airgun in what is being treated as a racially aggravated assault in Bristol, said police, who have increased patrols in the area.

The victim, who has been left traumatised", was hit three times by a pellet and the white male suspect, thought to be 17 to 18 years old, shouted racially abusive language at the girl, Avon and Somerset police said.