BUNNELL, Fla. — A man mistaken for a male turkey was shot in the head and torso Sunday morning in Bunnell, according to the Bunnell Police Department.
At 7:46 a.m. Sunday, the police department says a 911 call was received from 775 Old Haw Creek Rd., regarding the man who was shot. The caller, identified as John Bennett, Sr., told police he believed he was shooting at an animal, according to the police department.
Officers and Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies located the man who had been shot with what appeared to be a bird shot, a small-sized shotgun bullet for a bird, a news release from the police department states. A helicopter was requested to take the man to the trauma center at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach, the release states, as the man's identity and condition was not released by police.
The shooting happened in a wooded area east of the location where Bennett called 911, the release states.
Bennett told police he was turkey hunting when he saw three female turkeys on Old Haw Creek Road, the release says. Bennett then told officers he followed the female turkeys and then saw a male turkey.
"He fired his shotgun at the male turkey, but in the low light, soon realized the male turkey was a decoy," the police department states in the release. "He then heard someone shout they had been shot. Bennett expressed remorse for the shooting and showed officers where the incident occurred."
Officers found a shotgun shell, a stake to secure the decoy, a turkey call striker and several small puddles of blood when Bennett showed police where the shooting happened.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was notified of the incident and are leading this investigation. For additional information on this case, contact FWC Investigator Robert Crews at (386) 216-6996 or FWC Public Information Officer Chad Weber at (352) 414-8451 or chad.weber@myfwc.com.
