LONDON (DF) -- Ashley Cole could soon face criminal charges stemming from a training ground incident where the Chelsea and England left back shot unsuspecting 21-year-old sports sciences student and Chelsea intern Tom Cowan with an air rifle.
Police in Surrey visited Chelsea's training ground in Cobham Tuesday morning to gather information, but did not interview the perpetrator or his victim. First hand reports from the training ground describe chaotic scenes after the shooting.
"It was pretty gruesome," recounted one Chelsea staffer who was present during the incident. "We're all just sitting around shooting the breeze, right, then Ashley pulls out a gun and points it at Tom. All I really remember is a loud 'pop' and Tom screaming in pain. There was a lot of blood. I think it broke the skin."
Chelsea have refused official comment on the matter, but manager Carlo Ancelotti reportedly disciplined Cole internally by revoking his conceal and carry privileges and banning his interaction with student interns. He did not suspend Cole from first team activities.
Cole's publicist also had no comment on the incident with the investigation still ongoing, but sources close to the former Arsenal man claim he has long been considering a career in the armed forces after his football playing days are over.
"Ash has always been into guns," said a Cole family friend. "We used to go to carnivals and take trips to Blackpool, anywhere there was a festival, really, just to shoot air rifles. You know that scene in Hot Fuzz where that cop shoots all the little targets with an air rifle? That was Ashley. He always loved showing off."
"I definitely think he'll consider the army after he gets done with football," continued the friend. "He feels like he has a lot to contribute to the country beyond sport. Clearly, he's a great shot with a rifle, so I'm sure he'll fit right in."
