In Seward, Nebraska, a nine-year old boy died after shooting himself accidentally while pheasant hunting.  According to the local sheriff’s office, the boy, Gunnar Holte, was hunting with his father. Gunnar “had fired his shotgun at a bird, then went to reload when his dad heard another shot go off, turned around and saw his son had fallen to the ground.” The boy was taken to the hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, where life saving measures were unsuccessful.

“It’s just a very tragic incident,” an officer said. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family.”

Yesterday, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Jason Kutt, a teenager, was also killed in a hunting accident.  He was sitting with his girlfriend on the bank of a lake taking in the sunset when he was shot in the neck by a man in hunting gear who was about 550 feet away.

Police are trying to identify the hunter. “If you are in fact responsible, if you have an explanation or some version of events that you want to explain to us, please come forward,” they said. “Jason Kutt and his family deserve that explanation.”

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of homicide. “Things can happen on purpose, they can happen knowingly, they can happen recklessly, they can happen through gross negligence or purely by accident,” the local District Attorney said. “We need to understand what the shooter’s intent was, whether there was actually any criminal mental state.”

Sources:

Lori Pilger, “9-year-old Seward Boy Dies in Hunting Accident, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office Says,” Lincoln Journal Star (October 26, 2020).

Vinny Vella, “Bucks Teen Shot in Nockamixon State Park may have been Killed by a Hunter in a ‘Terrible Accident,’ DA Says,” Philadelphia Inquirer (October 26, 2020).

Paulina Villegas, “A Teen was Fatally Shot at a State Park. Officials are Searching for Answers.” Washington Post (October 27, 2020).