A man was shot with an air pistol while mowing the lawns at his Waikouaiti property on Saturday, police said.
Senior Sergeant James Ure, of Dunedin, said the man was struck in the abdomen after a shot was fired from a nearby property about 2pm.
His injuries were not thought to be serious.
A 23-year-old Waikouaiti man was arrested at the scene by armed police officers and later charged with careless use of a firearm, Snr Sgt Ure said.
Police were investigating why the shot was fired and whether it was aimed at the man.
Both men were on private properties in the Waikouaiti township when the incident occurred.
Police were taking the incident seriously, as air guns could be dangerous weapons, Snr Sgt Ure said.
This was highlighted when Sgt Don Wilkinson died after he was shot with a FX Monsoon air gun while on an undercover drugs operation in Auckland in 2008.
‘‘Obviously, this might be a shorter version, but clearly they have got a dangerous element,'' he said.
A firearms licence was not required for owners of air pistols over 18 years of age, Snr Sgt Ure said. It was believed the victim was not known to the man who shot him.
