Well Steve, that is indeed sad for the shooter but final for the GW.
I stand by what I said about KNOWING what your target is before pulling the trigger.
While I am sure the fellow that did the shooting is full of remorse it won't bring the other man back. If I am not 100% sure of my target I do not pull the trigger. If he was using 1st or 2nd Gen night vision, well that stuff is kinda blurry and not very good for determining what you are seeing other than a green blurry outline.
I night shoot 'yotes and hog as predator and nuisance control on my daughters place using IR as a spotter and then white light before firing. You see, I am scared to death of doing what your friend did. I would rather give a critter a pass than have to live with that. She is just across a state 2 lane from a large WMA and the GFC guys have been known to wander onto her property looking for poachers and other outlaws, we welcome them doing so.
I will no longer condemn him as a non-hunter but still say his judgment was way off, he should have made positive ID before shooting.
I will say no more, but offer prayers for the dead Officer & his family and your friend as well.
