Overview

• Carson Ryan, 17, was shot in the back of the head around 3 p.m. on Sept. 27 while squirrel hunting near Brighton in Washington County, Iowa.
• The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said a member of Ryan’s hunting party mistook him for a squirrel; the shooter has not been publicly identified.
• Ryan was transported to University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center in Iowa City, where he died from his injuries.
• The Washington High School senior and multi-sport athlete was honored at a vigil and school tributes, and a GoFundMe for his family has surpassed $56,000.
• A DNR law enforcement captain noted that movement, sunlight and shadows can lead to target misidentification, underscoring the need to positively identify before firing.