Nampa man killed in accidental shooting at gun range, sheriff says

NAMPA (Idaho Statesman) — A Nampa man was killed in an accidental shooting at the George Nourse Gun Range, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office said.

Evan Michael Chase, 26, of Nampa, was shot in the abdomen Friday by a rifle that discharged when another adult male attempted to unload it, the Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday in a news release. Deputies arrived at about 5 p.m., and life-saving measures were performed, but Chase died at the scene, the release said.

“This was a tragic incident that sadly took the life of a young man over this past Fourth of July weekend,” Sheriff Kieran Donahue said in the release. “My heart goes out to his family and friends. Unfortunately, it also serves as a grim reminder of how deadly firearms can be and why they should always be handled with the utmost care.”

Since the incident was deemed an accident, no arrests were made, the sheriff’s office told the Idaho Statesman. No more information will be released, the sheriff’s office said.