In the vast expanse of Elko County, Nevada, a hunting trip among friends took a tragic turn on October 2, 2015. Stephen James Foley, a 48-year-old White male from Carson City, was killed in what was later determined to be a hunting accident. The incident occurred in the O'Neil Basin area, approximately 20 miles south of Jackpot, during an elk hunting excursion.
Foley and his three friends were in the process of packing their gear into a vehicle to return to their camp. One of the friends, a 49-year-old man, was handling a rifle while preparing to store it in the truck. As he was putting the firearm away, it unexpectedly discharged. A single round passed through the vehicle's door and struck Foley in the chest.
His companions immediately called for help and attempted to provide first aid to the injured Foley. Despite their efforts, his injuries proved to be fatal, and he died at the scene. Elko County Sheriff's deputies arrived about 20 minutes after the emergency call was placed. Detectives from the sheriff's office conducted an investigation into the shooting.
The investigation concluded that the shooting was accidental. According to the Elko County Undersheriff, the friend who was handling the firearm was unloading it when the incident occurred. Authorities ruled the death a tragic accident, and there were no arrests made or suspects identified in connection with the shooting. Stephen James Foley was a registered nurse at Carson Tahoe Health, where he had been a respected employee for many years.
