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CEDAR CITY — A 34-year-old man was critically injured Sunday morning after an apparent accidental shooting during a hunting trip, officials say.
Deputies received a call reporting a man had been shot, was just outside the Brian Head area and was headed toward Cedar City. Emergency personnel responded to state Route 14 a few miles outside Cedar City at about 7:50 a.m. Sunday, according to a statement released by Iron County Sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Humphries.
There they met the man, whose name was not released, who had been shot in the right abdomen with a rifle, Humphries said in the statement.
Investigators determined that the parties involved in the shooting had been hunting, but were not wearing hunter orange, according to Humphries. A member of the injured man's hunting party fired the shot.
The man was taken to Cedar City Hospital in critical condition, Humphries said in the statement. The injured man's health was not expected to worsen.
The investigation is still ongoing and any possible criminal charges have yet to be determined, the statement said.
“This is a tragic event which shows the importance of adhering to the rules and regulations when engaged in hunting activities,” Humphries said in the statement. “The Iron County Sheriff’s Office wants to express our deepest sympathy to the family and victim and hope for a full recovery.”
As of Sunday night, the 34-year-old man was out of surgery and his condition had stabilized. He will remain in the intensive care unit for the next few days, according to Humphries.
