December 6, 2018
From WAVY.com
A hunter was killed Wednesday morning in a hunting accident in Southampton County, officials say.
A spokesperson with the Southampton County Sheriff’s Office told WAVY.com the incident happened near Sadler Road and Boothe Road. Deputies were called to the area just before 8 a.m.
Officials with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries identified the man killed as 69-year-old William Huskey, Jr., of Newport News. Investigators say Huskey and another man were near each other on private property when a gun accidently went off.
Sgt. Brandon Woodruff of Virginia Conversation Police says there is no indication the hunters did anything wrong, but it is always important to be extra careful when hunting.
“We do not have a whole lot of hunting accidents in this area in respective to like football accidents or injury, it’s a relatively safe activity,” said Sgt. Woodruff. “I’d ask hunters to keep their gun unloaded until they are ready to fire, once they do load their gun and go hunting, make sure their weapon’s on safe until they are ready to start firing and at that point you can take it off and get ready to discharge.”
Additionally, Sgt. Woodruff says hunters should also have a safety meeting beforehand.
“Wear your blaze orange to be visual, make sure everyone knows where they are standing at all times before discharging a firearm.”
On Your Side was told that Huskey was wearing his blaze orange at the time of the accident. No foul play is being suspected.