Pennsylvania

Upstate Hunter Mistakes Woman for Deer, Shoots and Kills Her: Police

The hunter heard her scream, called 911 and stayed with her until emergency crews arrived

A woman was accidentally shot to death by a hunter who mistook her for a deer while she was walking her dogs in a rural field in Upstate New York, authorities say. 

Rosemary Billquist, 43, took her dogs for a walk in her hometown near the Pennsylvania border around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office. 

Deputies say she was walking in a field when a man hunting nearby mistook her for a deer and shot her once with a pistol.

The hunter heard the woman scream, and went to her aid.

The hunter heard her scream, called 911 and stayed with her until emergency crews arrived. Billquist was taken to a hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she was pronounced dead.

Officials say the shooting occurred about 40 minutes after sunset, when it's illegal to hunt.

Police say the hunter hasn't been charged. The investigation is continuing.

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