Shooting victim ' lucky to be alive'

A man shot during a domestic row in the Coromandel town of Whangamata is lucky to be alive, say police.

The man received minor injuries from pellets from a shotgun blast but police said today he needed to "go out and buy a dozen Lotto tickets".

A 24-year-old man was arrested for the shooting when he surrendered to police at Waihi. He appeared yesterday in Waihi District Court and was remanded to reappear next week.

Detective Sergeant Glenn Tinsley from the Waihi police said the shot man was extremely lucky to be alive.

He said he was so close the pellets probably did not have time to spread when they left the barrel and the blast grazed his head.

"Gee, he is a lucky man. He should be getting a dozen Lotto tickets."

- NZPA