CARROLL COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Carroll County deputies said a 17-year-old from Ocean Springs was killed due to a hunting accident.

On Friday, December 29, deputies and officers with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) responded to a call on County Road 163 in the Blackhawk area.

Investigators said 17-year-old Hayden Drake Bonta was declared dead at the scene by the Carroll County coroner.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and MDWFP are conducting an investigation into the teen’s death, but they said the shooting appears to be accidental.

“Our prayers are certainly with the Bonta family and their friends during this tragic time. The death of a teenager is never easy; I ask all of our citizens to hold this family up in prayer in the coming days,” said Carroll County Sheriff Clint Walker.