A nine year-old girl in the US has killed her shooting instructor by accident while being shown how to use a high-powered automatic weapon.

The instructor was giving the girl a lesson at a shooting range in Arizona when the recoil from the first shot caused her to lose control of the Uzi.

Charles Vacca, 39, was shot in the head and died after being airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas.

The girl was at the shooting range with her parents, officials say.

The accident happened on Monday at Last Stop shooting range in White Hills, Arizona.

Correspondents say it is common in parts of the US for children to be taught how to use firearms.

Many firing ranges have strict safety rules on instructing children. It is not clear what age limits the range has.

(BBC)