Hunter shoots dead woman on nighttime walk after mistaking her for deer

Kristofer Kelle McDonald mistook the sounds of leaves crunching and branches snapping for a deer, the affidavit states

Kristofer Kelle McDonald (in mugshot) mistook the sounds of leaves crunching and branches snapping for a deer, the affidavit states (Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office)

A hunter shot a woman dead while she was on a nighttime dog walk with her husband, after he mistook her for a deer.

Kristofer Kelle McDonald, 20, was out on a night hunt near the Sawmill Branch walking trail in Summerville, South Carolina, at around 8.15pm on October 29, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

At the same time, Lori Wind, 54, and her husband were walking their dog along the trail.

According to an arrest warrant seen by WYMT, McDonald reportedly mistook the sounds of leaves crunching and branches snapping and opened fire, shooting three to four rounds from a 20-gauge shotgun in the direction of the walkers.

Wind and her husband were both shot, according to authorities.

Wind was pronounced dead at the scene while her husband was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition.

In a press briefing last week, Dorchester Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Sam Richardson said officers had received a tip pointing them towards McDonald as the shooter.

Mcdonald then turned himself in to authorities the day after the shooting and has been “cooperative to a certain degree,” Richardson said.

He was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, criminal negligent use of a firearm resulting in death, criminal negligent use of a firearm resulting in great bodily harm, and night hunting.

He was booked into the L.C. Knight Detention Center before posting $400,000 bond on Thursday, reported WYMT. He has been ordered not to take part in any hunting activities.

“There’s just no excuse for anybody being careless with a firearm, and certainly perhaps someone paid a price with their life. There’s just no excuse for that,” Richardson said.