NATCHEZ – Adams County Sheriff Chuck Mayfield said no charges will be filed against a 16-year old teen that accidentally killed his friend while they were deer hunting last month. Nineteen-year old Deltaurus Holmes was pronounced dead at Natchez Community Hospital after being shot on Dec. 19 by the teen.
Holmes, a senior at Natchez High School, and the unidentified teen, were hunting about 6:32 a.m. on land near Holmes’ residence. Authorities said the 13-year old brother of the teen was with them.
The Natchez Democrat reported that none of the boys were wearing orange, the safety colors hunters use to avoid hunting accidents, and that Holmes was wearing an open tan jacket with a white undershirt, while the 13-year-old was wearing an open gray jacket with a white undershirt.
The Natchez Democrat said the teen told his brother and Holmes to stay in a certain area and to wait until the deer came to them. Authorities said both boys evidently moved from that area.
Captain Robert Brown, of the Adams County Sheriff’s Department, told the Democrat that the teen likely saw the white of Holmes’ undershirt and mistook him for a deer.
As an added precaution, the teen apparently called Holmes’ cell phone at 6:20 a.m., which was not answered, and then he shouted Holmes’ name to no avail, reported The Natchez Democrat.
“He whooped and called “Del,” and [Holmes] didn’t answer,” Brown said.
Brown said the boy then fired the shot.
“[The shooter apparently] thought Del was still at the point where he left him,” Brown said.
The single buckshot from the 12-gauge shotgun struck Holmes three times in the head, stomach and groin, and pellets from the same bullet grazed the 13-year-old’s arm and stomach.
The 13-year-old was treated and later released.
Brown said all three boys went hunting without telling their parents and the shotgun belonged to the shooter’s grandfather.
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