11-year-old dies after sister shoots him while rabbit hunting, officials say

JONES COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM/Gray News) - An 11-year-old Mississippi boy who suffered life-threatening injuries from a hunting-related shooting incident has died.

Jones County Coroner Burl Hall confirmed the 11-year-old boy’s death Wednesday, WDAM reports.

According to a Monday press release, Jones County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Cody Pitts said the boy was shot in the head with a .22 caliber rifle by his 12-year-old sister while hunting rabbits. Deputies responded to the incident around 9:36 p.m. Saturday.

The siblings’ 19-year-old step-brother was with them at the time of the incident.

The 11-year-old sustained critical, life-threatening injuries and was taken to Forrest General Hospital for treatment, according to JCSD.

The names of the boy and his sister were not released by the sheriff’s department due to their ages.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks was notified of the incident and responded to the scene, as they are the primary agency investigating the incident. JCSD is also investigating it as a secondary agency.