Man kills himself after mistakenly shooting dead brother while aiming for a bear

Tragic accident took place in Oregon’s rural Josephine County

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

An Oregon man killed himself after mistakenly shooting dead his brother as he took aim at a bear, according to police.

Authorities say the man had grabbed his gun to protect himself from the black bear near his home in the state.

But instead, the man accidentally gunned down his sibling in the tragic incident in Sunny Valley in Josephine County.

Police responded after receiving a 911 call from a man who told them he had “accidentally shot his brother while loading a gun” to use against a bear.

“Based upon the investigation, it is believed the caller took his own life after calling 911 to report the accidental shooting,” the sheriff’s office added.

Undersheriff Travis Snyder said that when officers arrived, the 911 caller was dead from a fatal gunshot wound, and they found a second man also dead from a gunshot wound.

The incident took place on Tuesday morning, in a rural area 125 miles from Eugene, Oregon.

Authorities have not identified the victims and an investigation is continuing into the incident.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.