Crime & Safety

North Bay Man Dies After Accidental Shooting at Sonoma County Gun Club

Man was removing a shotgun from the back seat of his truck.

This article was originally published Friday, July 20 at 10am.

A Novato man accidentally shot himself and died at the Black Point Game Bird Club in Petaluma on Thursday afternoon, a Sonoma County sheriff's lieutenant said.

Jay Sitton, 55, went to the club at 7711 Lakeville Road to shoot skeet, sheriff's Lt. Bret Sackett said.

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Sitton bought shooting supplies at the club office and went to the shooting range area, where he was the only one shooting, Sackett said.

He returned to the office an hour later to ask for more time on the shooting range, Sackett said.

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After Sitton went back to the range, a club employee found him an hour later lying next to the open door of his truck, according to Sackett.

Sitton had a gunshot wound to his chest and sheriff's deputies found a shotgun inside the truck with its barrel facing toward the truck's open door, Sackett said.

Investigators believe Sitton accidentally shot himself as he removed the shotgun from the back seat, and the death is considered accidental, Sackett said.

An autopsy is scheduled for today, a county coroner's office spokeswoman said.

By Bay City News Service


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