A Louisiana father was killed during a hunting trip on Nov. 29 after a rifle accidentally discharged and struck him, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. in Lafourche Parish, as reported by The New York Post.
Officials identified the victim as 45-year-old Garret Verdun. LDWF reported that Verdun and a friend were heading to their hunting spots when they crossed a cattle guard.
Louisiana father with ‘heart of gold’ accidentally killed on hunting trip: ‘He had a contagious smile’ https://t.co/IH7IXRFtEe #newyork #feedly
— Music World 360 (@MusicWorld360x) December 8, 2025
Verdun’s hunting partner said he passed a rifle to Verdun, and the firearm unexpectedly discharged, striking Verdun in the head with a .308-caliber round. Verdun was pronounced dead at the scene.
LDWF is assisting the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office in the investigation. Authorities said all individuals involved are cooperating with detectives.
Following Verdun’s death, his daughter, 19-year-old Chloe Verdun, posted a statement honoring her father.
“I wish more than anything I wouldn’t be making this post, but I’m so blessed to have shared 19 years with you. I love you forever, Dad, and always will,” she wrote.
“You will forever be my role model and favorite person. Until we meet again — forever will be your love bug.”
An obituary described Verdun as having a “heart of gold” and someone who was “always ready to lend a hand or offer a comforting word.”
His family said he had strong relationships with relatives and friends and found “his greatest joy in spending time with his two children, Chloe and Ethan, and sharing laughter with his family and fiancée Tiffany Hunter.”
The obituary noted that Verdun was “an avid outdoorsman at heart” who also enjoyed carpentry and building projects.
“Above all else, his family was his passion, always putting them first. He will be missed by all who knew him. He had a contagious smile that will be missed beyond words,” the tribute stated.
Verdun is survived by his fiancée, his daughter Chloe, and his son Ethan. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be made in his name to the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides support to injured and ill military veterans.
NEW: Father-of-two is k*lled after gun accidentally discharges during hunting trip
Garret Verdun, 45, was k*lled when a hunting rifle accidentally discharged during a trip in Lafourche Parish
The shot struck him in the head while he was passing the gun to a friend… pic.twitter.com/NXMfDrFlQv
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) December 8, 2025
In the wake of the accident, LDWF issued a reminder urging hunters to keep firearms unloaded and on safety while traveling to and from hunting locations.
The investigation remains ongoing.
