Minn. man pleads guilty in fatal hunting accident
A Belle Plaine man charged with fatally shooting his 8-year-old son in a hunting accident pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter.
Forty-year-old Anthony Klaseus entered his plea Thursday in Sibley County District Court on Thursday. Charges of trespassing and hunting without a license were dropped.
Klaseus admitted to shooting his son, Hunter, but maintained it was an accident.
Prosecutors say Klasesus and Hunter - who was dressed in camouflage - were hunting April 19 when he said he mistook the boy for a turkey and fired.
Officers that responded to the shooting found Hunter with pellet wounds through his neck and torso.
A breath test administered at the scene to Anthony Klaseus registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.06 percent. A urine test revealed the presence of marijuana but the exact concentration hasn't been disclosed.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.