Hunter shot by brother, dies

HINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - Police say a man fatally shot his brother with a rifle during a deer hunting incident on family property in Mecosta County on Wednesday night. The Amish men were not hunting together.

The victim is Harry Weaver, 26, of Lakeview. His brother's name has not been released.

Weaver was sitting in a deer blind near 2 Mile Road and 85th Avenue in Hinton Township, police said.

His 23-year-old brother from Austin Township was 400 yards away and fired three gunshots at a deer. The shooter had limited visibility, police said, and all he could see was the top of the deer blind.

The time of the shooting is not yet known.

Legal hunting hours in Michigan are a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. Storm Team 8 Chief Meteorologist Bill Steffen said the sunset in the area was 5:17 p.m.

Police said the younger brother went home after 5:30 p.m. and noticed Weaver was not there.

"The brother did not come back for chores, which threw red flags up to the family, at which point they went out to search for him and they found him," said Mecosta County Sheriff Todd Purcell.

Weaver was found in the deer blind, dead from a single gunshot wound to the head, police said. Police told 24 Hour News 8 he was not wearing any orange-colored clothing.

The sheriff's office received the 911 call at 6:48 p.m. and deputies arrived at the blind to begin the investigation. Police found the bullet in the blind. The bullet that killed Weaver was of the same caliber used in the brother's gun and will be sent to the Michigan State Police crime lab for ballistics testing.

Police continue to investigate, but the sheriff said it is unlikely that any criminal charges will result. There will be no autopsy.