Hunting trip ends in tragic death
Groveton News - December 2007

TRINITY – A 15-year-old Trinity High School freshman was shot and killed early Saturday following a hunting trip with a group of friends.

Kevin Bryant Jr. was pronounced dead by Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Randy Barrett following a shooting reported to have occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
According to Trinity County Sheriff Steven Jones, the shooting took place at a residence in the Jungle Village subdivision off FM 356 after a group of THS friends returned from a hunting trip.
One of the hunters – a 16-year-old friend of Bryant’s – was carrying a 30-30 rifle when it discharged. Bryant appears to have been struck once in the head by a bullet.
The name of the 16-year-old has not been released by the sheriff due to his age.
 “We’re still investigating to make sure that we understand exactly what occurred, but right now it appears the shooting was a very tragic accident,” he said.
He noted that a formal ruling to the death will not be made until the investigation is complete.
The sheriff said his department was contacted between 8 and 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, by Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Robert Stubblefield who called to report gunshots near his home in the area of the Trinity Plantation subdivision south of Trinity.
“He told us that it sounded like shots were coming over his house,” Jones said.

However, when deputies arrived, the people who had been shooting had left the area and Stubblefield did not know which direction they traveled.
“We later learned that it was this group of students who had been hunting together,” Jones said.
He noted that following the death of Bryant, Pct. 1 Constable Woody Wallace located two dead deer at the Jungle Village residence.
 “From what we have been told, the group of students – all in the 15 to 17 age group – had been hunting together that night and had returned to the residence in Jungle Village.
“The young man whose gun fired was described as the victim’s best friend and he was obviously devastated by the accident,” Jones said.
The sheriff said he believes the victim and the other members of the hunting party were all members of the Trinity football team this past season and were all very close friends.
In addition to officers from the sheriff’s department and Pct. 1 Constable’s Office, Jones said Texas Ranger Pete Maskunas of Lufkin also was assisting with the investigation.
The results of an autopsy on Bryant’s body were pending at press time.
Jones asked that area residents pray for the Bryant family as well as for the 16-year-old whose gun fired.
“This appears to be an incident involving two close friends who were doing what kids do and became involved in a tragic accident.
“I will be keeping them in my prayers and I would like to ask the people of the community to do the same,” Jones said.