Accidental gun shot kills Weippe man

A 71-year-old Weippe man died Wednesday from an accidental gun shot wound to the head, according to Clearwater County Sheriff's Department (CCSO).

Deputies were called to the Weippe residence of Gayford Nelson Dearmond and Jean Isaacson about 6:10 p.m. According to Isaacson, Dearmond had come inside after checking their chickens. She said she heard a shot shortly afterward and found him on the floor with a massive wound to his head. Isaacson said they had been having problems with a hawk attacking their chickens, according to a news release.

CCSO investigations indicate that last week there was trouble with a hawk getting into the chickens and he took the gun outside, but did not fire it. Conjecture is that he failed to unload it/put the safety on when putting it back in a closet. When he removed it from the closet, it apparently caught on the handle of a nearby fire extinguisher and accidentally fired, law enforcement said.

Clearwater County Ambulance Service-Weippe responded and transported Dearmond to Clearwater Valley Hospital where Dr. Bill Danke later pronounced him dead, said CCSO.