Seventeen-year-old Carter Daniel Gay died on the evening of Thursday, February 29, 2024, after being found on his parents’ property in Louisville, Georgia, with a fatal gunshot wound. He was transported to a nearby hospital after a 5:30 p.m. call reported something was wrong, but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office ruled the shooting accidental. No arrests or suspects have been reported, and authorities are treating the incident as an accidental death. Carter, born October 17, 2006, was a junior at Thomas Jefferson Academy and active on the football and shotgun teams. Friends and family remembered him as a young man of deep faith who loved hunting, fishing, and horseback riding and who carried himself with leadership and kindness.

If anyone knew Carter or has information about the events that evening, please share what you remember.