Photo: Shutterstock/Carl Ballou
A 13-year-old boy died after he was shot in a hunting accident in South Carolina on Sunday, authorities said.
On Monday, the agency said in apost on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was continuing to investigate the Orangeburg County shooting, calling the incident a “hunting accident.”
“This is an ongoing investigation, and we will update as we’re able,” the statement reads. “Our thoughts are with the boy’s family and loved ones.”
The Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office is conducting an autopsy as well as toxicology tests, according to USA Today. A cause of death has not been made public as of Wednesday.
The boy’s mother, Penny Wagers Connor, toldUSA Todaythat her son and his best friend, who is the same age as Cameron, were hunting ducks when the tragedy occurred. She also said the boys were eighth grade students at Dorchester Academy in St. George, S.C., where both boys played for the football and baseball teams.
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In anemotional statementposted to Facebook on Tuesday, Penny grieved her son and thanked the community for their support.
“As a parent, this is one of the most difficult tragedies to navigate and process,” she wrote. “Please hold your children extra tight and tell them you love them.”
“His presence made an impact on so many people,” she added. “Son, I’ll miss you every single day and until we meet again, I love you with all of my heart and soul.”
In a statement to PEOPLE, Penny wrote, in part, “Cameron was always a happy-go- lucky, sweet kid. He marched to the beat of his own drum. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He would rather fish than sleep. To know Cameron is to love him. He made a huge impact at his school as well as in our community.”
She added that she wanted to use the tragedy to raise awareness about firearm safety.
“We were adamant about teaching Cam the importance of making sure the safety was always on and how dangerous a firearm can be if mishandled,” she wrote. “My son was truly an angel walking around on this earth. Now, he’s an angel watching over us.”
source: people.com
