Three detained for shooting imitation guns

Three men were taken into custody by Beijing police after they shot BB guns on the streets last week.

The police found nine BB guns and 16 plastic pellets in the men's Mercedes Benz car at about 9:45 pm on Friday, and said four of the guns could injure people, Beijing Morning Post reported on Tuesday.

The three men, all inebriated when they were detained, admitted they shot three times while driving the car. A man who was shot told the police that it was painful, "like being hit by a stone", according to the report.

The suspects told the police they jointly own a restaurant in Beijing and most of their income is spent on imitation guns. Some of the guns could shoot through a plastic water bottle at a distance of two meters, said the report.