By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com


A man mistaken for a coyote was accidentally shot in the chest in Williamston.

The 21-year-old man sustained non-life threatening injuries in the incident that occurred just before midnight last Friday. The Lansing State Journal reports that four teenagers were hunting coyotes when one, identified as a 19-year-old Mason man, mistook the victim for a coyote and shot him. The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office said the victim was in the wrong place at the wrong time and had been walking on railroad tracks near Meech and Grand River when he was shot. The victim was said to be alert and talking to police before being taken to an area hospital. The group did not know the victim. The 19-year-old had apparently shot a coyote and was trying to locate it using night vison equipment. The Sheriff’s Office said he was licensed to hunt coyotes in Michigan. The others in the group were identified as Williamston residents, two who are 18-years-old and one 16-year-old.

Since the incident was hunting related, the investigation has since been turned over to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Once complete, a report will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review.