Teen Killed During Mock Duel
Investigators: Participants Tried To Cover Up Crime
POSTED: 10:15 p.m. MST December 18, 2001
UPDATED: 6:33 p.m. MST December 19, 2001
FORT MORGAN, Colo. -- Three people were in custody Wednesday after a 17-year-old was fatally shot in what authorities said was a mock duel near Fort Morgan.
Josh Blackmon (pictured, left), 19, of Louisville, Colo., was being held on felony manslaughter charges and Mike Morgan, 20, and a 17-year-old, both of Aurora, Colo., were held on charges of felony accessory to manslaughter.
The shooting happened in a wildlife-hunting area on the north shore of Jackson Lake in Morgan County, authorities said.
Morgan County deputies responded to an emergency call about a hunting accident just before 8:30 a.m., and arrived to find Byron S. Sharpnack of Elbert County dead of a gunshot wound to the chest.
Initially, the three others told investigators that Sharpnack was shot when Blackmon stumbled in the sand along the shore as they were picking up goose decoys.
After more questioning, investigators said they discovered that the victim was unintentionally shot by Blackmon during a mock gun duel.
"There was an agreement made on the count of three, a draw. Mr. Blackmon was carrying a 12-gauge shotgun, and as soon as the count of one, he pulled up and fired," said Jim Crone, Morgan County Sheriff.
Investigators said that Blackmon and Sharpnack were standing only 10 feet apart.
The other three hunters then staged the area to make the incident look like an accident, authorities said.
"They unloaded the guns and made marks in the sand on the beach to make it look like this young man had tripped," Crone said.
Investigators said that they do believe the shooting was accidental, but that won't make it any easier to deal with.
Blackmon's bond was set at $75,000, and Morgan's was set at $50,000.
Josh Blackmon (pictured, left), 19, of Louisville, Colo., was being held on felony manslaughter charges and Mike Morgan, 20, and a 17-year-old, both of Aurora, Colo., were held on charges of felony accessory to manslaughter.
The shooting happened in a wildlife-hunting area on the north shore of Jackson Lake in Morgan County, authorities said.
Morgan County deputies responded to an emergency call about a hunting accident just before 8:30 a.m., and arrived to find Byron S. Sharpnack of Elbert County dead of a gunshot wound to the chest.
Initially, the three others told investigators that Sharpnack was shot when Blackmon stumbled in the sand along the shore as they were picking up goose decoys.
After more questioning, investigators said they discovered that the victim was unintentionally shot by Blackmon during a mock gun duel.
"There was an agreement made on the count of three, a draw. Mr. Blackmon was carrying a 12-gauge shotgun, and as soon as the count of one, he pulled up and fired," said Jim Crone, Morgan County Sheriff.
Investigators said that Blackmon and Sharpnack were standing only 10 feet apart.
The other three hunters then staged the area to make the incident look like an accident, authorities said.
"They unloaded the guns and made marks in the sand on the beach to make it look like this young man had tripped," Crone said.
Investigators said that they do believe the shooting was accidental, but that won't make it any easier to deal with.
Blackmon's bond was set at $75,000, and Morgan's was set at $50,000.Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
