Joshua Burks Mobile Alabama man & former marine veteran shoots dead 11 year old boy Troy Ellis during turkey hunt. Charged w/ reckless manslaughter.
An Alabama man has been charged with the shooting death of an 11-year-old boy killed during a turkey hunt on Friday morning, May 1.
It is expected that Joshua Stewart Burks, 35, will turn himself in for reckless manslaughter.
Police determined that there was enough evidence holding Joshua Burks responsible for shooting 11-year-old Troy Ellis during the hunt in Jefferson County.
The child’s father, Obed Ellis, of Trussville was also treated at the scene for a minor injury as a result of gunfire, nbc15 reports.
Upon Burks turning himself in, he is expected to be booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a $15,000 bond.
Burks, an amputee, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and has taught in Mobile since 2012. He was listed as a baseball coach at Davidson High School in Mobile.
The hunt was organized by a group that sponsors hunts for wounded veterans and Obed Ellis was acting as a guide.
Jefferson County Sheriff‘s investigators said they determined there was enough evidence to justify an arrest warrant for reckless manslaughter against Burks.
Deputies say the boy and his father were turkey hunting with another pair of hunters when the child was shot, according to WVTM.
The sheriff’s office says medical personnel responded to the scene and made multiple attempts to save the boy’s life, but were unsuccessful.
BREAKING: Warrants have been issued in the hunting incident that killed 11-year-old, Troy Ellis of Trussville.https://t.co/FT3kNnlI6A
— WBRC FOX6 News (@WBRCnews) May 5, 2020
Horrible accident: but no criminal charges according to veteran’s lawyer.
‘Mr. Burks in no manner intended for this horrible accident to occur and feels extreme sorry and hurt for the Ellis family,’ said his attorney, Jonathan C. McCardle to AL.com.
‘While I feel criminal charges should not have been brought forth here, we look forward to working with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office in bringing a resolution for all involved in this horrible accident.’
Not immediately clear is how the former marine veteran confused the 11 year old boy for a turkey?
Educators at Cahaba Elementary School where Troy went to school released a statement following the boy’s shooting death.
‘We were devastated to hear about the hunting accident and the loss of our precious 5th grade student. Any loss of life is tragic, especially during these times of isolation when we can’t grieve together,’ said Trussville City Schools Superintendent Pattie Neill in a statement.
‘The Ellis family and the Cahaba family are in our thoughts and prayers, and we are reaching out to help in any way we can.’
A GoFundMe to help the family with ‘extra costs’ as of Wednesday morning had raised $47,372.
