Teenager shot dead in Iowa hunting accident after being mistaken for squirrel

17-year-old Carson Ryan
Sky News

A tragic hunting accident in Iowa resulted in the death of 17-year-old Carson Ryan, who was mistakenly identified as a squirrel by a member of his hunting party and fatally shot in the back of the head.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported that Ryan was mistaken for a squirrel by a member of his hunting party and was struck in the back of the head. He was transported to UI Health Care Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries. The incident occurred in rural Brighton, and is currently under investigation by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Washington County Sheriff's Office. 

Ryan was a senior at Washington High School and an active member of the school's varsity football, basketball, and track teams. He was posthumously crowned Homecoming King during the school's Homecoming Week, and tributes poured in from the community, including neighboring Pekin School District, which encouraged students to wear Washington High's black and orange colors in his honor. 

A GoFundMe campaign established to support Ryan's family has raised over $55,000. The campaign organizer described Carson as "a son, friend, and bright light to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him," emphasizing the profound impact of his loss.

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