Father of 3 and Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Dies After Friend Accidentally Shoots Him During Hunting Trip

A Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant died after being accidentally shot by his friend on a hunting trip.

On Oct. 12, Lt. Nathan Kaas went on a hunting trip with a friend in Idaho’s Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The two were preparing to hunt mule deer when the friend removed a hunting rifle from its case, and it accidentally discharged and struck Kaas in the thigh, per ABC 7 News.

Kaas suffered severe bleeding, The San Bernardino Sun reported. The shooting occurred in the Sheep Creek area, per Fox 11.

The shooter has not been publicly identified at this time.

Kaas was a member of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team in Riverside, Calif., according to a social media post from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Association. The association noted that Kaas died “from a hunting accident.”

A fundraiser for his family was organized through Help A Hero. The description confirms that Kaas was a husband and father to three children.

“His relationship, love and service to Jesus Christ, his church and community, emboldened his impact on the many walks of life he encountered. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and loyal friend,” the fundraiser description began.

Kaas was described as a “protector and mentor embodied the Service Above Self pride of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.”

The statement continued, “His relationship, love and service to Jesus Christ strengthened his impact on the many walks of life he encountered. Lieutenant Kaas’ loved ones, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, and the Riverside County Sheriffs’ Association, thank you for your support, prayers and donations for the Kaas family.”

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Kaas joined the RCSO in April 2000 and held the ranks of Investigator, Sergeant, and Lieutenant during his 25 years of service, the RCSO said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Lieutenant Nathan Kaas’s family, friends, and colleagues as they navigate this difficult time,” the RCSO added.

Kaas’ death comes just two days after 21-year-old Kaylanee Orr died of an accidental gunshot wound while hunting with family in Idaho on Oct. 10, per multiple reports.