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A teenager was killed when he was fatally shot in rural Iowa after he was mistaken for a squirrel during a hunting trip.<\/p>\n
Carson Ryan<\/strong>, 17, was hunting squirrels outside of Iowa City when someone in his group shot him in the back of the head on September 27, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.<\/p>\n The department said that Ryan \u201cwas mistaken for a squirrel by a member of his hunting party,\u201d according to a news release<\/a> shared by the department on Monday, September 29.<\/p>\n The department added that the incident took place around 3 p.m.<\/p>\n Adult Film Actor Austin Wolf Sentenced to Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation Charges<\/a><\/p>\n Ryan was transported to the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center in Iowa City, where he later died from his injuries. Officials said that his death is currently being investigated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the sheriff\u2019s office in Washington County, which is where the incident took place.<\/p>\n The teenager was a student at Washington High School in Washington, Iowa, while he was also a member of the school\u2019s track team and field. Following his death, the team took to Facebook to issue a statement<\/a> about his passing.<\/p>\n \u201cWashington Boy\u2019s Track & Field team asks you keep Carson\u2019s mom, family, classmates and teammates in your hearts as we navigate the devastating loss of Carson. Our hearts are broken. LGD,\u201d the team captioned a photo of Ryan on the track in his team uniform.<\/p>\n A GoFundMe campaign<\/a> was launched following Ryan\u2019s death, and it has raised more than $54,000 as of Wednesday, October 1, toward its goal of $70,000.<\/p>\n Ryan was described as \u201ca son, friend and bright light to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him\u201d in the fundraiser\u2019s description. \u201cHis kindness, humor, and genuine spirit touched countless lives, and his loss leaves an immeasurable void.\u201d<\/p>\n