Two separate hunting accidents in Mississippi and Texas over the weekend resulted in the deaths of two young boys, aged 11 and 15.
In Jones County, Mississippi, a family outing turned deadly when an 11-year-old boy was accidentally shot in the head by his 12-year-old sister. The incident occurred on Saturday night, December 2, 2023, near their grandmother’s home on Alex Knight Road.
The siblings, along with their 19-year-old stepbrother, were hunting rabbits when the boy, kneeling down, handed his sister a .22 caliber rifle to take a shot at a rabbit. Her brother stood up as she pulled the trigger, leading to the fatal shot.
The critically injured child was rushed to Forrest General Hospital and then moved to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where he ultimately passed away from his injuries.
Officer Lance Chancellor of the Jones County Sheriff’s Office described the shooting as a deeply emotional tragedy. He noted that the young victim was an organ donor, whose organs might save the lives of other children in need across the country.
In a separate incident in Presidio, Texas, a 15-year-old boy, identified as Payton Pesina, sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the chest on Sunday morning, December 3, 2023.
The accidental discharge occurred as Pesina prepared rifles for an annual family hunting trip in a popular area off West Highway 67.
After the shooting, relatives rushed him to Marfa, Texas, with a sheriff’s escort. Despite receiving immediate medical attention, Pesina was pronounced dead at a hospital in Alpine.
The Grandfalls-Royalty Independent School District, where Pesina was a student, remembered him as a beloved member of their community. His warmth, kindness, and bright spirit were recognized as having profoundly touched many lives.
