Perry County, AL – A joyful family hunting excursion transformed into a waking nightmare when a loaded rifle discharged, fatally striking a 12-year-old Tennessee boy on March 6th. The shocking incident took place at the remote Sugar Foot Hunting Preserve in Alabama’s Perry County.
Authorities say the Pleasantville family was in the area for a construction project when they were invited by the property owner to join a feral hog hunt. What began as an adventurous day in the wilderness took a horrific turn when the young victim was struck by the errant gunfire in circumstances still under investigation.
Frantic efforts were made to rush the critically injured child to Bibb Medical Center in Centreville, but he tragically succumbed to his wounds shortly after arrival, shattering his family’s world. “This is just devastatingly tragic all around,” lamented Bibb County Coroner Patrick Turner. “By all accounts, it was simply a freak accident while engaging in a hunting activity.”
As the boy’s loved ones grapple with this senseless loss of young life, the local community has banded together to support them through the anguish. The incident underscores the constant need for diligent gun safety, even among seasoned hunting enthusiasts. A dark cloud now hangs over the preserve as authorities meticulously reconstruct how such an excursion went so awry.
