OVETT, MS – In a tragic hunting accident, an 11-year-old boy has succumbed to injuries after being unintentionally shot by his 12-year-old sister. The accident occurred late Saturday evening while the siblings, accompanied by their 19-year-old stepbrother, were rabbit hunting on their grandmother’s property in Jones County.

Details emerged that the siblings were hunting around 9:35 p.m. The boy gave the .22-caliber rifle to his sister, to let her take a shot at a rabbit. In a devastating turn, the boy stood and moved into his sister’s line of fire, resulting in him being shot in the head.

Immediate efforts were made by the family to provide the wounded boy with first aid. The urgency of his condition prompted a swift ambulance transfer to Forrest General Hospital, followed by a move to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson where, despite the medical team’s attempts, the boy passed away.

The identities of the children have not been released due to their young ages.

Jones County Sheriff’s Department’s spokesperson Lance Chancellor voiced the sorrowful sentiments resonating through the community, indicating that the incident’s impact has been profound. Chancellor also conveyed a bittersweet sliver of hope despite the heartache, mentioning that the boy’s organ donation could potentially save other young lives across the nation.

Colonel Jerry Carter, chief of enforcement for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, affirmed that the investigation into the case is active and ongoing. As the tragedy pertained to a hunting incident, the Department of Wildlife took the helm of the investigation.