WASHINGTON ISLAND, Wis. (AP) — A city official in West Bend died in a hunting accident after apparently shooting himself during the weekend opener of the gun-deer season.
The Washington Island Police Department says it appears 65-year-old Steven Hoogester, of West Bend, shot himself in the chest Sunday evening when he was exiting a ground blind. He died at the scene.
The Green Bay Press-Gazette reported that Hoogester is the Common Council president in West Bend and a retired police officer. He was hunting at a friend’s private property in Door County.
Washington Island Police Chief Tyler McGrane said Hoogester’s son heard the shot and called 911 but couldn’t relay his location because of poor cellphone service. Hoogester’s son then drove about four miles back to their friend’s house — the homeowner knew McGrane and called the chief from a landline.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating and an autopsy is pending.
