Hunter in Forest Mistakes Friend for Wild Boar

Picture courtesy of Khoasod.

A hunting incident has left one man dead after he was mistakenly shot by his close friend, who believed he was aiming at a wild boar.

The incident occurred at around 22:00 on 16 April in a banana grove near Ban Khun Fang, Moo 5, Khun Fang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Uttaradit Province. Authorities, including police investigators, forensic officers, rescue volunteers and a duty doctor from Uttaradit Hospital, rushed to the scene after receiving a report of a fatal shooting.

Upon arrival, police discovered the body of 40-year-old Mr Nares, who had sustained fatal gunshot wounds, to the left side of his neck and his left arm. There were no signs of a struggle at the scene.

According to Pol Lt Col Peerapol Jamnongjit, the investigating officer at Mueang Uttaradit Police Station, the deceased had been hunting in the forest with his long-time friend, 42-year-old Mr Saengarun. The suspect was found at the scene with a homemade shotgun, one live round shotgun ammunition, and a spent shotgun casing in his bag. He reportedly waited to surrender to police and confessed to the shooting.

In his statement to police, Mr Saengarun said he and the victim had entered the forested hills behind the village to hunt. On their way back, he heard a rustling sound from a clump of undergrowth approximately 10 metres away, which he believed to be a wild boar foraging for food.

Acting on instinct, he fired a single shotgun round toward the sound. After hearing what he thought was a boar’s squeal, he reloaded to shoot again, but when he approached, he discovered he had fatally wounded his friend, Mr Nares.

In a desperate attempt to save him, Mr Saengarun performed CPR for about 30 minutes before calling the emergency services.

Police have charged Mr Saengarun with causing death by negligence, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, carrying a firearm in a public place without reasonable cause, and discharging a firearm in a village or public area without justification.

He is now in custody and will face prosecution in accordance with the law.

-- 2025-04-17