Keystone-SDA
A 70-year-old woman will stand trial in the criminal court in Basel on Tuesday. On August 1, 2023, in Aesch, she allegedly threatened three boys with a loaded pistol and shot into the air next to them. The woman was annoyed by their fireworks on Swiss National Day.
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The senior citizen has been charged with multiple counts of simple assault, endangering life, threatening behaviour, coercion and offences against the Weapons Act.
On the evening of the 2023 national holiday, the accused was looking after a friend’s dog and taking it for a walk. She was already “agitated” as she felt restricted by the noise of the fireworks while walking the dog, according to the indictment.
Near a family garden, she came across five children aged 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11 who were letting off fireworks. The accused felt disturbed by this and wanted to send the children away. They did not react. After this encounter, the three boys in the group sent the two younger girls to their parents.
Meanwhile, the accused went back to her flat with the dog and took a Glock 19 pistol registered to her from the bedroom dresser. Although, according to the indictment, she did not have a licence to carry handguns, she went back to the three boys with the loaded and unsecured pistol and threatened them with it. She is said to have told the children that this is how animals feel when you let off fireworks.
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Right next to the ten-year-old boy’s head, she fired into the air in the direction of the family gardens. Due to the short distance, it was easily possible to hit the children and seriously or even fatally injure them, the public prosecutor’s office wrote in the indictment. In addition, the woman had no recent practical experience with a weapon and was not in control of the situation due to her emotional turmoil.
By firing the shot, she “knowingly and wilfully” endangered the lives of the children and all the other people who were celebrating in the family gardens next door, the statement continues. The three boys suffered from earache and tinnitus. They had to go to the children’s hospital for a check-up. The parents filed a complaint and are demanding compensation.
The criminal court in Muttenz will hand down its judgement on Wednesday. The presumption of innocence applies.
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Culture
August 1: how Switzerland celebrates its birthday
This content was published on
Jul 31, 2025
On August 1 each year, the country celebrates itself with bonfires, barbecues, speeches, and – the not always welcome – fireworks displays.
Read more: August 1: how Switzerland celebrates its birthday
Adapted from German by AI/ts
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