Man using rifle during bow season shoots teen he thought was a deer, Georgia cops say
A hunter mistook a teen for a deer and fatally shot him during bow season, police say.
The two were hunting together in Glynn County, Georgia, on Saturday when Hecter Romero saw what he thought was a deer in an “area of heavy foliage” and fired his gun, instead hitting 17-year-old Bobby Lane, The Macon Telegraph reported Sunday.
Lane was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries, The Telegraph reported.
Brandon Kondo, spokesperson for Glynn County police, confirmed Monday that Lane was shot with a rifle.
Firearm season doesn’t start in Georgia until Oct. 19, meaning hunters are not supposed to use guns to hunt deer and are only supposed to use archery until then, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
During firearm season, hunters and those with them are required to wear “an outer garment at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange above the waist,” according to the department.
Kondo said it’s unclear if Romero will be charged, and the Georgia DNR is still investigating.
Officials have not said how the two knew each other.
This story was originally published September 30, 2019 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Man using rifle during bow season shoots teen he thought was a deer, Georgia cops say."
