Australian teenager 'mistaken for deer' and shot dead

An Australian teenager has died after he was shot by a friend who apparently mistook him for a deer during a hunting trip.

Published: 1:18PM BST 26 Jul 2010

The 19-year-old was with his brother and a friend in dense bushland on the border of the states of Victoria and New South Wales when the accident occurred.

The man, who has not been named, became separated from the group at about 5pm and was fatally shot when his friend mistook him for a deer in the fading afternoon light, police said.

One of the men hiked to a farm house to raise the alarm, but the injured man died before ambulances could reach him.

"It is believed one of the men mistook him for a deer and fired a fatal shot at his companion," a police spokesman told Melbourne's Age newspaper.

"It's an accidental shooting at this stage.

"No one has been charged and police that are investigating have not indicated that any charges will be laid." Police are preparing a report for the coroner.

Ambulance officers treated the other men for shock at the scene.

Initial attempts to remove the dead man's body were hampered by the region's rough terrain. Police have since sent a helicopter to airlift the body out.

From: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/7910353/Australian-teenager-mistaken-for-deer-and-shot-dead.html