KEY POINTS
- The dog stepped on its owner’s rifle while it was in the back seat of the man’s car
- Police did not mention whether the dog was harmed in the incident
- The tragedy sparked attention and a call for hunters to always follow gun safety rules
A man was shot and killed by his dog in an unusual hunting accident in Kansas Saturday.
The man’s dog reportedly pulled the trigger of its owner’s gun while he was driving during a hunting trip, according to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said the dog stepped on the rifle while it was in the back seat, causing it to discharge in the owner’s direction, KWCH reported. The bullet struck the man in the front seat.
Deputies responded to the area of 80th Street South and River Road, north of Geuda Springs, in response to a man who was shot in the back. They immediately began CPR, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities did not mention whether the dog was harmed in the incident.
The man was identified by the sheriff’s office as Joseph Austin Smith, 30, of Wichita, Kansas, according to press releases obtained by People.
The tragedy sparked attention and a call for hunters to always follow gun safety rules.
Friends of the deceased man, however, slammed those posting “hateful” comments about the incident.
“To all the comedians and weapons experts here: This boy was my friend, having been best friends for over 20+ years with his dad,” a man named Jimmy White from Wichita wrote in the comments section of KAKE News’ Facebook post. “These comments are hateful. I know this family very well and cannot tell you how much their hearts hurt right now. Shame on you.”
In November 2022, new dad Ozgur Gevrekoglu, 32, was shot dead in Turkey by his dog, the New York Post reported.
Gevrekoglu was reportedly putting his pet dog in the trunk of the car when its paw accidentally touched the trigger of the still-loaded shotgun, causing the weapon to discharge at the man at close range.
The man was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Reports at the time were unable to tell which dog was responsible for his death. Gevrekoglu previously shared several photos of himself with multiple hounds.
