Sacramento man, 80, arrested in fatal shooting of hunter in Sutter County wildlife area

An 80-year-old Sacramento man was arrested Sunday morning after a shooting that killed another hunter in a Sutter County wildlife reserve, authorities said.

Deputies responded around 9 a.m. to the area of Gifford Road in the Fremont Weir Wildlife Area near Knights Landing after receiving a report of a hunting incident, according to the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office.

At the scene, deputies found 65-year-old Shawn Parrish of Sacramento with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. Medical personnel attempted life-saving measures, but Parrish was pronounced dead at the scene, the Sheriff’s Office said in an update Monday.

Investigators identified the suspect as John Lee, who was also turkey hunting in the area. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Lee reportedly “fired his shotgun into the brush, hoping to shoot a turkey, though unaware of what he was aiming at.”

Lee was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Sutter County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder and negligent discharge of a firearm, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He remains in custody on $1 million bail.

The Sheriff’s Office confirmed both men were hunting separately at the time of the shooting. Turkey hunting season is currently underway.

Detectives continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, and Lee’s arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday in a Yuba City courtroom, the Sheriff’s Office said.

This story was originally published April 7, 2025 at 8:01 AM.