Man shot and killed by juveniles while bush hogging

[Hay Dude]

I’m guessing they were behind the tractor and trying to shoot out the back tires, missed and hit the poor feller.
I am not minimizing the loss of life or seriousness of it, it’s just my hunch on it based on how stupidly 8 year old boys can behave and a prank gone terribly wrong.

 

[oosik]

All my 40+ years out here and only ONCE had an experience like this. I was down doing work on my long driveway. I heard two shots. Not 22 - not shotgun. It was hunting season and you can tell the difference between types of long guns being fired. It was some type of high powered rifle.

I thought nothing more about it. About ten minuets later two hunters emerged from the brush and came down the driveway.

I heard one say - "I know I saw movement in the brush but when I shot there was nothing there."

I held my temper but did ask them to go somewhere else to hunt. I was certainly glad that I was not out beating the brush at that moment.

 

[plowhog]

New source?

The only thing I've read that was from yesterday is that the sheriff believes the intent of the boys was not to kill the man.

ABC news 4 reported they were shooting at the man on the tractor, and attributed that information to the local Sheriff.

Some here are conjuring theories of "plinking" or "shooting at tires." I haven't seen any report including that. The story below was filed by a local reporter, attributing the description of events to the local Sheriff. You would think a local report in conjunction with the Sheriff would have a pretty solid grip on the facts. If this was merely "plinking" or "shooting at tires," why would the Sheriff (or reporter) lie about it?

Boys, 8 and 9, charged in shooting death of S. Carolina man

Investigators say an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old boy have been charged with killing a man who was shot with a rifle while cutting down brush in a South Carolina field. Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says both boys shot at Danny Andrew Smith with a rifle as he rode his tractor in the field...

abcnews4.com

 

[plowhog]

I heard one say - "I know I saw movement in the brush but when I shot there was nothing there."

That is just irresponsibly stupid.

 

[MoKelly]

All my 40+ years out here and only ONCE had an experience like this. I was down doing work on my long driveway. I heard two shots. Not 22 - not shotgun. It was hunting season and you can tell the difference between types of long guns being fired. It was some type of high powered rifle.

I thought nothing more about it. About ten minuets later two hunters emerged from the brush and came down the driveway.

I heard one say - "I know I saw movement in the brush but when I shot there was nothing there."

I held my temper but did ask them to go somewhere else to hunt. I was certainly glad that I was not out beating the brush at that moment.

Holy cow. People can be so stupid!

I’m not sure I could have controlled my temper - most especially if they were on my property.

MoKelly

 

[Hay Dude]

ABC news 4 reported they were shooting at the man on the tractor, and attributed that information to the local Sheriff.

Some here are conjuring theories of "plinking" or "shooting at tires." I haven't seen any report including that. The story below was filed by a local reporter, attributing the description of events to the local Sheriff. You would think a local report in conjunction with the Sheriff would have a pretty solid grip on the facts. If this was merely "plinking" or "shooting at tires," why would the Sheriff (or reporter) lie about it?

Boys, 8 and 9, charged in shooting death of S. Carolina man

Investigators say an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old boy have been charged with killing a man who was shot with a rifle while cutting down brush in a South Carolina field. Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says both boys shot at Danny Andrew Smith with a rifle as he rode his tractor in the field...

abcnews4.com

I have heard a few farmers have had tires shot out from a long distance while farming. Sometimes done by crazed anti-farming neighbors.

 

[Diggin It]

ABC news 4 reported they were shooting at the man on the tractor, and attributed that information to the local Sheriff.

why would the Sheriff (or reporter) lie about it?

Everything I've read seems to be from a initial interview the day of the shooting or a prepared statement last week and says 'carelessly shooting in the direction of' and 'not intentional or premeditated'. Nothing says 'shooting at' as if to even imply he or the tractor was their target.

Media interpretations of 'in the direction of' meaning 'at' vs. specifically targeting may not be accurate.

If you're shooting at a deer and there is a house downrange, you could be said to have been shooting in the direction of the house.

 

[Jstpssng]

Everything I've read seems to be from a initial interview the day of the shooting or a prepared statement last week and says 'carelessly shooting in the direction of' and 'not intentional or premeditated'. Nothing says 'shooting at' as if to even imply he or the tractor was their target.

Media interpretations of 'in the direction of' meaning 'at' vs. specifically targeting may not be accurate.

If you're shooting at a deer and there is a house downrange, you could be said to have been shooting in the direction of the house.

You still should be held criminally liable. Don't shoot unless you know what's downstream.

 

[plowhog]

Nothing says 'shooting at' as if to even imply he or the tractor was their target.

Then you apparently didn't read the ABC news 4 story I provided. From a local reporter, with an attribution of comments from the local Sheriff. Here is the verbatim quote:

"Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says both boys shot at Danny Andrew Smith"

 

[Diggin It]

Then you apparently didn't read the ABC news 4 story I provided. From a local reporter, with an attribution of comments from the local Sheriff. Here is the verbatim quote:

"Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says both boys shot at Danny Andrew Smith"

That's what that news article says the Sheriff said, but that's not what the Sheriff said in the statement. I'll go with his prepared statement over a reporter's interpretation of his statement.