Rhody Hunter

State police said Wednesday that a man who was hunting deer in Exeter was accidentally shot and killed by another hunter in his party.

Police said Donald Mallette, 45, of Warwick, was hunting in the Arcadia Management Area with three friends when he was shot in the stomach at about 11 a.m.

"I guess the guy was shooting at another deer, and his friend got shot," said ranger Dave Palumbo.

Rescuers performed CPR on Mallette and took him to Kent Hospital, where he died.

A news release from the state police did not say who fired the shot or if any charges would be filed.

"The other guy that shot him is obviously distressed," Palumbo said.

He was so distressed and grief-stricken that he was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

"A very sad state of affairs," Palumbo said.

Crews had to cut down trees so an ambulance could get to Mallette, who was in an area off Austin Farm Road.

Sfury

One of the most basic rules of gun safety was violated. I feel sorry for the family of the guy who got shot.

It's a hard thing to deal with when you know someone who gets shot and killed in this manner.

It's one of the reasons why my family does not do deer drives. Way too risky if you use a big group. It's so easy to lose track of your party members.

Rhody Hunter

I agree that is why I mainly do tree stand hunting solo or maybe one other
It just shocked me being so close to home

dip2design

If you don't know the difference in a deer and a human you shouldn't be hunting. If you can't identify what you are shooting at then you don't pull the trigger. #1 rule of hunting. I think the guy should be prosecuted. Get the idiot out of the gene pool. People like that are why government keeps tightening the screws on gun control.

wareaglecj

Wow. I feel sorry for the families of both parties involved. I could not imagine living with myself if I accidentally shot someone. I don't think we should persecute the shooter until we know all of the facts, which probably won't happen unless it goes to trial. Such a shame...

dip2design

The facts? The fact is he shot a person. It's a FACT the person was not a deer. It's a FACT the shooter did not identify the deer because of FACT #1. It's a FACT that anti-gun activist can run with this and the 5 already shot this year in AL. It is also a FACT that he won't be prosecuted because it was an accident. That means there will be laws trying to strengthen gun control laws because this happened. Not laws for just the idiots that pulled the triggers but for all of us. Making it harder to protect our homes or enjoy the sport hunting that we all enjoy.
I think the bottom line is, you shoot someone while hunting because you didn't properly identify your target, then you lose the privilege to ever hunt again. Take hunting license for life. Don't need those trigger happy idiots in the woods with me or my family or you or your family.

Topgun 3006

How in the h*** do you know that the guy wasn't shooting at a deer and the other guy was hundreds of yards away and the bullet just happened to find him? The little bit of information in the post said the shooter was probably targeting a deer. As a retired Investigator in LE, it would be nice if you had ALL the facts before you spout off! If the guy was just "sound" shooting and killed the friend that way, then I agree with you and please don't say that he should have known what was behind the target. We dont know the circumstances and shouldn't fry the guy until we do. That's a fact and not that he won't be prosecuted because it was an accident. If the facts come out and he was sound shooting, there is the definite possibility that the County Prosecutor could charge him with Manslaughter, etc.

dip2design

Yea I guess you are right in this incident. But the 5 so far this season in AL have been the shooter thinking the person was the deer. One guy went as far to say he thought the light on the guys head was the eyes of the deer reflecting in the moon. How? Also why was he still hunting while the moon was up.
I was just venting because it has happened way to much this year.

WNYhunter

we had an 18 yo kid shoot himself this year 5 min from my house. he shot a deer, him and a buddy were dragging it out and took a break. they leaned thier guns on a tree and somehow the gun fired killing the kid. It is always tragic when these things happen. I for 1 am surprised it doesn't happen more on deer drives. the shooter here will be procecuted the rest of his life no matter what the law does.

Topgun 3006

That's a completely different story when a guy justs wacks away at a sound or because a guys headlight was a deer's eyes! That's about as good as I've ever heard for an excuse, LOL! Also, why would the kid have even had a loaded gun when they were dragging an animal from the woods? Those cases are not an accident, but just sheer stupidity!!! As far as deer drives go, I guess in some areas they are a popular way for a bunch of people to hunt, but I won't do it because I will not put my life in the hands of others any more than I have to when I'm out and that is sure upping the chances of something bad happening no matter how careful everybody thinks they are being.