Lukas Dudley Bemidji Minnesota deer hunter shot dead by Rain Stately who mistook him for deer. Victim failed to wear high visibility clothing.
A hunter has fatally shot another hunter in northern Minnesota after mistaking him for a deer, according to authorities.
The two men were not hunting together and the victim was not wearing blaze orange or any other high-visibility clothing, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said Monday the shooting happened on Wednesday near Puposky along the Red Lake Reservation in Beltrami County at dusk.
Rain Stately, 33, of Redby, Minnesota was identified as the shooter. The victim was identified as 28-year-old Lukas Dudley, of Bemidji.
Sheriff’s officials said Dudley been released from jail last month and was under a court order not to possess a firearm.
Shooter cooperating with investigators
The ‘hunting accident’ occurred after Stately fired one round at what he thought was a deer.
Stately ‘observed movement of what he thought was a deer and fired one round from his rifle,’ a Sheriff’s Office statement read.
‘Dudley was found not to be wearing typical blaze orange or other high-visibility clothing.’
When Stately discovered he had shot Dudley, he called 911 and has been cooperating with investigators, the Star Tribune reported.
The incident is being investigated by the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Red Lake Tribal Police Department, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Division of Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Lukas Dudley’s brother, Chris Dudley, posted an old photograph on his Facebook page showing the two boys as young children playing in the snow.
Well-wishers posted messages of condolence in response to the photo.
‘I’m heartbroken,’ wrote one of Chris Dudley’s Facebook friends.
Another well-wisher wrote: ‘We are so very sorry Chris.’
‘You two were always together when this was taken,’ wrote Dave Dudley Sr.
‘True definition of a day 1 bro.’
A decision on whether the shooter will face any charges has not been made.
