Yolo County father shot dead by son in accidental discharge, sheriff says. No charges sought

A boy hunting in rural Yolo County unintentionally shot his father, who died from the injuries Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The son accidentally fired the weapon, and his father died at the scene just east of Dunnigan, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The Sheriff’s Office along with Dunnigan and Yolo County firefirefighters went to the scene to render aid but he succumbed to his injuries.

Detective Matthew Wirick, a spokesman with the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, declined to say the child’s age to protect the family’s privacy. He said this incident was “very much an accident,” and criminal charges will not be requested by deputies.

“The Yolo County Sheriff’s Office expresses profound condolences to the grieving family and kindly requests that the community keep them in their thoughts and prayers, offering them the privacy they require during this challenging period,” deputies said.

Dunnigan is a small town along Interstate 5, 20 miles north of Woodland.

This story was originally published January 24, 2024 at 11:40 AM.