TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A hunter in Hualien’s Zhuoxi Township accidentally killed his fellow hunter, mistaking a dark shadow for an animal on Monday evening (Oct 14).
The Hualien County Fire Department said that at 10:31 p.m., a hunter had been injured by a shotgun in Zhuoxi Township’s Sikihiki Tribal Village. Ambulance workers found the hunter with no vital signs.
Two other hunters present at the scene performed CPR and other lifesaving actions to little avail. They also helped guide paramedics and the ambulance to the scene of the shooting, per CNA.
Due to the area's remoteness, rescuers found it too difficult to deploy the LUCAS automatic chest compression system and automated external defibrillator (AED). Rescuers had to perform manual CPR at the scene.
The injured hunter was transported by a soft stretcher and rushed to the hospital. He was pronounced dead despite emergency treatment.
The Hualien County Police Department Yuli Branch said the two hunters involved in the shooting were a 62-year-old man surnamed Su (蘇) and a 43-year-old surnamed Chen (陳). The pair had recently begun hunting in the area after learning that wild boars ventured down the mountain at night foraging for food.
The dead hunter is a 23-year-old surnamed Ma (馬), who was also in the area hunting wild boars.
Police brought the two shooting suspects back to the precinct for investigation. They seized three shotguns and ammunition, which were legally registered according to firearm regulations.
The case will be turned over to the Hualien District Prosecutors Office. The hunter who fired the fatal shot could potentially be charged with homicide and murder according to the Criminal Act.
