On Saturday morning, the Sumner County Sheriff’s office reported that a man had been fatally shot during a hunting excursion over the weekend. According to the authorities, 30-year-old Joseph Austin Smith of Wichita had been shot in the back while inside a pickup truck in Geuda Springs.
The incident had reportedly occurred after his dog accidentally stepped on a rifle, causing it to discharge. A 911 call had been made at 9:47 a.m. local time.
The law enforcement agency reported that when they received the call for help, their personnel promptly arrived at the scene and found Smith in the front seat of the truck. They immediately began administering CPR in order to try and save his life. However, Smith tragically passed away from the gunshot wound.
The dog was located in the back seat of the truck. There was hunting equipment present, such as a rifle. The authorities believe that when the dog stepped on the gun, it was discharged.
At this point in time, it is still unknown if there were any other individuals in the truck when the event happened. The investigation is still ongoing.
Smith was a greatly admired worker at Browns Plumbing Services. His colleague Chris posted on GoFundMe that he was “the most unique individual I have had the pleasure of meeting.” To date, over $10,000 has been collected through the GoFundMe page to aid Smith’s family in the wake of his passing.