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Victim And Shooter Identified In Johnson County Hunting Accident

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ark. (KFSM) — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission says a woman was shot and killed by a hunter in northern Johnson County on Sunday (Nov...

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ark. (KFSM) -- The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission says a woman was shot and killed by a hunter in northern Johnson County on Sunday (Nov. 11).

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office confirmed Tuesday (Nov. 13) that the victim was Jane Rust from Sparkman, Arkansas. The hunter has been identified by the sheriff's office as Dale Williams.

Sherrif Larry Jones told 5NEWS the shooting is still under investigation and he's still unclear if any charges will be filed.

The 72-year-old was shot in the Yale community of northern Johnson County on Sunday. The sheriff's office says they received a call about the incident at approximately 1:43 p.m. and arrived on scene at 2:15 p.m.

Officials say Rust was with a relative and a friend when she stepped out of a car to take a picture of the Yale Church, and that's when she was shot. Sheriff Jones told 5NEWS Rust was shot in the upper body but didn't say how many times.

Officials had first reported both were hunting when Rust was fatally shot Sunday.

Rust body has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy. Once the investigation is complete, it will be sent to the 5th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney for review of possible criminal charges, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.

As of Wednesday, November 14, investigators with the Johnson County Sheriff's Department said they had not yet turned over the case to the county prosecutor.

Evidence in the case will help answer questions like, if this was or was not a case of mistaken identity.

A friend of Dale Williams, Bessie Ambercrombie, said she knows him well and wants others to know deer often frequent the area where Williams lives and the area where the victim was shot.

"I do know that Dale is not an irresponsible hunter. He would take every precaution possible," Abercrombie told 5NEWS. "They can't even landscape the area (because of) the deer. Plant a tree; a deer would eat it. Dale had been hunting in the woods that come right up to that area. It's one of those tragedies that Dale will suffer more than anyone else, knowing Dale."

Check back for updates as more information is released by police. 

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