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Teen shoots 12-year-old brother after mistaking him for a deer, Michigan cops say

The boy is in serious but stable condition.
The boy is in serious but stable condition. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A 12-year-old boy was shot after his 17-year-old sibling mistook him for a deer while hunting, Michigan authorities said.

Kent County deputies responded to a call on the evening of Dec. 13 regarding a hunting accident, a news release from the sheriff’s department said.

Investigation by deputies revealed a 17-year-old had been hunting in a tree stand when his 12-year-old sibling tried calling the teen in for dinner, the sheriff’s office said.

The 17-year-old mistook the young boy “for a deer” and shot him with his rifle, the release said.

The 12-year-old boy was taken to the hospital from the home in Solon Township. He is in “serious, but stable condition,” the sheriff’s office said.

The release noted drugs and alcohol were not believed to be involved.

Solon Township is about 25 miles north of Grand Rapids.

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This story was originally published December 14, 2021 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Teen shoots 12-year-old brother after mistaking him for a deer, Michigan cops say."

Mariah Rush
mcclatchy-newsroom
Mariah Rush is a National Real-Time Reporter. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and has previously worked for The Chicago Tribune, The Tampa Bay Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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