Virginia man dies after bear shot by fellow hunter falls on top of him from tree

A hunter has died after a bear shot by his partner fell on him, Virginia wildlife officials said.

The state's Department of Wildlife Resources said the incident took place in Lunenburg County, between Richmond and Danville.

A group were following a bear they were hunting when it ran up a tree on 9 December, the Virginia government department added.

As the hunting party backed away, one of the hunters shot the animal, causing it to fall on top of another member about 10 feet away from the tree.

The man, named as 58-year-old Lester C. Harvey, was rushed to two different hospitals. He died from his injuries on Friday 13 December.

An obituary - seen by the Associated Press - said the man was a married father-of-five with eight grandkids. It added he was a self-employed contractor.

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It's not the first time a hunter has been crushed by a bear: In 2018, a hunter was left fighting for his life after a bear he shot landed on top of him.

William McCormick, 28, was hit by the animal as it tumbled down a slope while he was hunting above Carter Lake in Alaska, police said.