A 39-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a hunter, following an incident involving his young son.
The man appeared in Gisborne District Court on Monday, where the new charge was added to previous charges of unlawful firearm possession and cannabis possession.
The tragic event took place on August 26, when the man’s son, who is under 13, allegedly fired a shot that struck 44-year-old John Atkins while he was out hunting with friends near Tolaga Bay.
The father and son were spotlighting with a .22 calibre rifle along Tauwhareparae Road around 10:40 p.m. when the incident occurred.
Atkins was critically injured and later flown to the hospital. Unfortunately, he passed away hours later. The man did not enter a plea and has been remanded to appear in the High Court in Gisborne later this month.
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