Altadena Man Dies After Maryland Hunting Accident

A 32-year-old Altadena man died Saturday in Maryland after his hunting rifle accidentally discharged while he was hunting deer with his uncle, authorities said.

A report in the Baltimore Sun said Vincent Cavallo and his uncle were hunting on private land Eylers Valley Flint Road near Thurmont, not far from Camp David, the retreat of U.S. Presidents, when the accident happened just before 9:30 a.m.

Authorities said Cavallo and his uncle had separated on the opening day of the deer-hunting season. A short time later, the uncle heard a shot, and when he checked to check on his nephew, he found Cavallo shot in the face.

KTLA-TV quoted a spokeswoman for the Maryland Natural Resources Police as saying Cavallo could have either slipped or dropped his rifle, causing it to discharge in his face.

The spokeswoman, Candy Thompson, said Cavallo had previously taken a firearms safety course in California.

Cavallo’s family in Altadena said he was a Navy veteran, a petty officer who served on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson when it deployed in 2010 in response to the Haiti earthquake.

An autopsy will be performed and the investigation into Cavallo’s death remains open, authorities said.