California Hunter Slips, Accidentally Kills Companion

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) — Kern County Sheriff's homicide detectives are investigating a hunting accident that killed a Central California man who was hunting squirrels and other vermin.

On Saturday 27-year-old Ker Her of Clovis was killed near Lake Isabella when his hunting companion slipped and fell. The Bakersfield Californian reports (http://bit.ly/PC8Hcj ) that the man's finger was on the trigger, and when he hit the ground the rifle fired.

The name of the shooter has not been released.

The California Department of Fish and Game reports there were two fatal hunting accidents in 2010, the last year that statistics are available. One case was the fault of the shooter, and in the other the victim moved into the line of fire.

An autopsy on the recent victim was scheduled for Tuesday.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.