According to a report from the Sheriff’s Office, three family members were elk hunting in Echo Canyon on Monday when a 58-year-old woman was shot. She died of her injuries at the scene and an investigation was ongoing as of Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday evening, the Sheriff's Office identified the woman as Lynette Billeter of Sandy.
Billeter was sitting in a side-by-side off-road vehicle when a rifle in the vehicle discharged a bullet, according to Sheriff’s Lt. Andrew Wright. The bullet struck her in the midsection and caused significant injuries.
“A lot that we're still investigating to figure out exactly how the rifle discharged. But at this point, from the information that we do have up ‘til now, we do believe this to be a hunting accident, a very tragic accident,” Wright said Tuesday morning. “Of course the family members are devastated. They're very cooperative with the investigation. But that's about what we know right now.”
The incident occurred about a mile south of Interstate 80 about 20 miles from the Wyoming border.
Wright said a family member went down to an area that had cellphone service and that the 911 call came in shortly after 11 a.m. Law enforcement officers arrived about 15 minutes later. Deputies provided first aid until medical personnel arrived.
The report says the woman was the only person injured. Wright said alcohol and drugs did not appear to be factors in the incident.
