Teen hunter dead after apparent lightning strike in Louisiana

Colton Guage Honeycutt, 17, of Monroe, Louisiana, was found dead inside an elevated deer stand on Oct. 17.

BERNICE, La. – ⁠⁠Officials in Louisiana say a 17-year-old boy was killed after he was apparently struck by lightning while hunting over the weekend.

According to information provided by the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, emergency crews were called to an area of Robert Welch Road near the Weldon community in Bernice to investigate reports of an injured person.

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When first responders arrived at the scene, they were directed to a remote wooded area where Colton Guage Honeycutt, of Monroe, was located inside an elevated deer stand.

The sheriff’s office said family members had become concerned when Honeycutt didn’t return home from his outdoor deer hunting trip earlier in the evening.

Officials said that it’s believed that Honeycutt was killed by a lightning strike when thunderstorms moved across the area just before sunset on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Honeycutt was pronounced dead at the scene by the Union Parish Coroner’s Office, officials said.

The incident is under investigation.