Location: Horse Meadow Area-Sequoia National Monument Forest

Incident Date: 10-04-15

Incident Time: 15-12447

Case Number: White Male

Posted by: Media Relations

On 10/04/15 at approx.. 0740 hours Deputies from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Departments Porterville substation were dispatched to the U.S. Forest Service Ranger station in California Hot Springs in regards to a man down suffering from a gunshot wound due to a hunting accident. Upon deputies arrival the victim a 16 year old male was being tended to by fire personnel who subsequently succumbed to his wound.

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Departments Violent Crimes Unit were called to investigate the incident. The ensuing investigation determined that the victim was hunting in the area of Horse Meadow/ Parker Pass with family and friends. The victim was walking a short distance in front of some of the other hunters in his party behind some brush when one of the other hunters fired a shot in the direction of the victim and struck the victim one time in the torso area. The victim was given first aid and CPR by the members in his group. The victim was taken by private vehicle to the U.S. Forest Service Ranger station for further treatment and medical aid.

The case is currently under investigation by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit and the California Department of Fish and Game, No arrests have been made and no other information is being released at this time. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Det. Paul Gezzer or Sgt. Steve Kennedy at (559)735-1898 or (800) 808-0488.

The Sheriff’s Department would like to take this time to remind hunters during this hunting season to practice good firearm safety measures, know the direction you are shooting, what you are shooting at and what your shooting backstop is.
Anonymous information about this incident can be reported via Tipnow
email tcso@tipnow.net