On November 20, 2012, 49-year-old Gerard Parent was fatally shot while deer hunting near East Road in Wales, Maine. Parent, described as a White/Caucasian male, an avid outdoorsman and carpenter, was struck in the chest by a second shot fired by another hunter, 41-year-old Christopher Austin of Wales. The wound proved fatal and Parent died in the woods where he had been tracking the deer. He was remembered by his family as a loving husband, father, and grandfather.

The Maine Warden Service investigated and a grand jury indicted Christopher Austin in January 2013 on manslaughter and a count of discharging a firearm near a dwelling, alleging reckless or criminally negligent conduct. Austin turned himself in to the Androscoggin County Jail, pleaded not guilty, and was released on bail. The shooting highlighted concerns about hunter safety and awareness in the community.

If anyone witnessed the November 20, 2012 hunt or has information that could shed light on the circumstances, please share what is known.