Bowhunter Facing Charges After Fatally Shooting His Hunting Partner by “Accident”
OutdoorHub Reporters 09.13.16
A man in Oregon is facing criminal charges for negligent homicide after police said he shot and killed his hunting partner with his bow.
According to KPTV, Michael Shawn Pekarek, called 911 reporting that he had shot Jeffrey Cummings with an arrow while the two were supposedly bow hunting together. Investigators said the two men spotted mule deer from their vehicle when Pekarek got out to attempt a shot on the animal.
Pekarek’s plea is that he turned towards Cummings – with his arrow ready to fire – to let him know the deer was moving, and shot Cummings in the abdomen. Michael Pekarek was later arrested and lodged at the Deschutes County Adult Jail on one count of Criminally Negligent Homicide, with a bail of $50,000.00. Cummings’ next of kin has been notified.
Something certainly smells fishy about his story. Either this was an unimaginably negligent action, or something more malicious.
There are a ton of red flags being raised here, because it basically goes against everything you ever learn about hunting safety. The rules I was brought up on were:
- Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
- Never point your weapon at something you don’t want to kill.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.
- Always be sure of your target before you shoot.
We’re all gearing up for hunting season, so take the time to reiterate the importance of each of these four rules before heading out afield.
