Hunter Mistakes Sherman Dog-Walker For Deer, Kills Her: Deputies

SHERMAN, NY — A hunter accidentally shot a woman who was walking her dogs in a rural field in western New York, authorities said, killing her.

Rosemary Billquist, of Sherman, was walking her dogs in her hometown of Sherman — near the Pennsylvania border — around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office said. she was in a field when a hunter nearby mistook her for a deer and shot her once with a pistol, deputies said.

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 declared dead.

The shooting happened about 40 minutes after sunset, officials said, when it's illegal to hunt.

The hunter wasn't charged, police said. An investigation remains ongoing.

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