One hunting trip turned tragic for both the perpetrator as well as the victims. A hunter got sentenced to prison for shooting and killing a father and his 9-year-old daughter. The man had been on a hunting trip when the incident occurred in 2020.
33-year-old Sean Peterson decided to plead guilty to two counts of negligent use of a firearm while engaged in hunting, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). As a result of the crime, a judge sentenced him to both five years in prison as well as four years of probation.
The courts found that the hunter failed to properly identify what he was shooting at. Peterson heard a rustling in the woods and shot blindly. He ended up striking and killing a father and daughter. "Peterson fired at a noise from the bushes without identifying his target," SCDNR wrote on X. According to the Colleton County Coroner, the victims of that shooting were Lauren Drawdy, 9, and Kim Drawdy, 30.
Hunter Kills Father And Daughter
According to reports, both Kim an Lauren were part of a group of four hunters. They had shot and killed a deer. While attempting to move the deer, Peterson fired on them. He had also been in the woods and had mistaken the noise for a deer himself. Following the shooting, authorities arrested the hunter in July 2020. The sentencing brings to a close the court case and hopefully starts a period of healing for the family.
"We extend our gratitude for the diligent work of our officers, investigators, assisting agencies and prosecutors in this case," SCDNR said.
While hunting is a recreational hobby for many, it requires proper gun safety as well as following the rules. Another hunter received sharp fines of $2,877 and lost his privileges to hunt for three years after attempting to poach a deer. In a strange twist of fate, the deer was fake, having been placed to draw out potential poachers.
"Prosecuting law violators takes time," Game Warden Lt. Carl Wedin said in the press release. "Catching a deer jacker in the act is one thing, seeing justice served is an entirely different operation. Vermont hunters can be gratified to see this poacher forfeit his vehicle and weapon, in addition to his fine and loss of his hunting privileges for the next three years."
