Minnetonka man dies after shooting self while deer hunting

DEER RIVER, Minn. -- A Minnetonka man is dead after accidentally shooting himself in the chest during Minnesota's deer opener weekend.

The Itasca County sheriff says 77-year-old Daniel Otto Cermak was hunting north of Deer River Saturday morning with a 30-30 lever action rifle when it discharged and hit him in the chest. Rescue personnel responded but he died at the scene.

An autopsy is being conducted.

There was also at least two nonfatal gunshot wound over the weekend. The Beltrami County sheriff's office says an 18-year-old hunter from West Salem, Wis., shot himself in the leg with a handgun about 1:30 p.m. Sunday near Becida, which is about 10 miles southwest of Bemidji.

On Saturday, a 14-year-old boy was shot in the thigh while hunting with his father and a group of other men near Spring Hill in Stearns County.  Authorities say the group flushed out a deer and four men fired at it.  One slug hit the boy in the left thigh.

MORE FROM STARTRIBUNE.COM

Startribune.com Section Front

2 charged in Mpls. burglary resulting in police dog death Shots fired in traffic stop off I-35 Tractor wedged under MN bridge causes road closures Twin Cities swimmer sets 2 new world records Minnesota's state budget woes worse than expected Startribune.com Section Front   Add Startribune.com headlines to your news reader: