Chad Gillman, 51, of Benjamin, died at Mountain View Hospital in Payson from injuries suffered when the boy's 12-gauge shotgun discharged, striking Gillman in the stomach, according to the Utah County Sheriff's Office.
The uncle, the boy and the boy's father were in an irrigation ditch in Benjamin, waiting for geese to fly over when the gun discharged, the sheriff's office said.
It is believed to be the first serious accident involving a child since Utah lawmakers changed the law in 2006 to allow any child to hunt small game. The old law required a hunter of small game to be 14 years old. The 9-year-old had completed a safety course, said sheriff's Lt. Dennis Harris. The course is required for all hunters born after 1965, said Mike Fowlks, law enforcement chief for the state Division of Wildlife Resources. - Erin Alberty
