On September 17, 2016, 17-year-old Ryan Mayhew, a senior at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau, Alaska, died after an accidental shotgun discharge. Preparing for a duck hunt that morning with three companions aged 26, 22, and 16, Ryan stood outside a truck and reached into the backseat, pulling a shotgun toward him by the barrel. The firearm discharged, striking him in the torso. He was given first aid by those present and taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital, where he died shortly after arrival.

The Juneau Police Department investigated and determined the shooting was a tragic accident; the firearm and vehicle were seized and no charges were filed. The community—especially Ryan’s classmates and teammates—responded with grief, school grief counseling, GoFundMe fundraisers to help the family, and many tributes. If anyone knew Ryan, his routines, or the circumstances that morning, please share information that might help others remember him or prevent similar accidents.