Altadena Man Killed in Thanksgiving Hunting Accident

ALTADENA, CA - A 32-year-old U.S. Navy veteran from Altadena was killed over the Thanksgiving Day weekend while hunting with an uncle in western Maryland, it was reported Monday.

Preparing for his first hunting trip, Vincent Cavallo had read about safety procedures and practiced at the firing range, but despite his precautions, he was killed Saturday when, according to police, his rifle accidentally discharged when he either slipped or dropped it, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The men were hunting deer on private property on the first day of Maryland痴 two-week deer hunting season.

"He looked forward to this for quite a long time," his father, Joseph Cavallo, told The Times, adding that his son adored his uncle, an experienced hunter, and had been planning the trip for a while.

The men became separated before Vincent Cavallo's rifle discharged, police said. His uncle heard a shot just before 9:30 a.m. and found Cavallo's body, The Times reported.

Joseph Cavallo said his son had read hunting safety procedures, went to the firing range and asked his uncle several questions before they left Saturday morning. He said he does not blame his brother-in-law.

"It is so painful," Joseph Cavallo said of the loss of his son. "I've cried so much the last day. I just miss him so much."

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock