Zachery Stokes, a 17-year-old male from Shelbina, Illinois, died on July 17, 2019, after being struck by an accidental gunshot at a residence in the early morning. A .50 caliber muzzle loader discharged while a 23-year-old man who was reportedly not familiar with that type of firearm was handling it. Stokes was hit first in the forearm and then in the torso and was taken to Samaritan Hospital in Macon, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Shelbina Police described the shooting as unintentional and said the 23-year-old did not intend to harm Stokes. No arrest or charge was made immediately after the incident, though investigators continued to examine the circumstances and left open the possibility of future charges depending on findings. The death deeply affected the Shelbina community and drew attention to the risks of handling unfamiliar firearms.

If anyone has information about what happened that morning or knew Zachery, please share what you remember.