ELYRIA, Ohio — A tragic incident has taken the life of a Northeast Ohio native after he was accidently shot and killed by his father while they were deer hunting.
Twenty-eight-year-old Andrew Smith grew up in Elyria and worked for the Oberlin Fire Department before moving to central Ohio.
"It was a total shock to all of us," Oberlin Fire Chief Robert Hanmer said. "It’s unbelievable. I can’t even imagine the grief the family is going through right now."
Hanmer has been Oberlin's chief for 5 and a half years. It’s a department with only five full time members and just over 20 part-timers, so when he received news that one of his former firemen was dead, it was like the department lost a family member
"We’re always close," Hanmer told 3News. "We call them brothers and sisters, and the stories keep coming in about the memories we’ve had of Andrew."
According to the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Smith was deer hunting with his father and friends just north of Columbus on Dec. 2. That’s when Andrew’s father mistook him for a deer and accidently fired. It happened around 5:45pm, as the sun was setting and Andrew was not wearing orange hunting gear.
It’s a tragic accident that state wildlife officials are trying to prevent.
"We do require for any of our deer or gun seasons for hunters to wear orange," Ken Fry, outdoor skill specialist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said. "In low-light situations, early and later in the day, it’s even that much more important."
There are about 500,000 hunters in the state of Ohio, and about 13 incidents--like injuries or in rare situations deaths--occur each year. However, that’s still 13 too many for state officials, who are hoping hunters will help shrink that number by being extra careful.
"Don’t get complacent," Fry declared. "It’s very easy to fell like, 'I got this, I’ve done this for years.' That’s when something bad can happen."
Even if future hunters remain vigilant, that won’t heal the hearts of those still dealing with this tragedy. The grief of losing a loved one is being felt by the Smith family, of blood and by bond.
"It’s just a shock to all of us that this is happening," Hanmer said. "This loss is surely a tragedy to all of us."