Matt Branch, former LSU lineman, has had his leg amputated after being hit by a blast from his shotgun during a hunting trip. Branch and his buddy were near Eagle Lake, Mississippi on an annual duck and deer hunting trip when this occurred.
Branch's shotgun was left loaded in the bed of his pickup truck with the safety on when out of nowhere the gun fired and his Branch from behind.
The craziest part is according to Branch's hunting buddy, his DOG DID IT! His friend, Micah Heckford says their Labrador named Tito jumped into the truck bed "stepped on the safety of Branch's shotgun and pulled the trigger". Then the 12-gauge shotgun fired through the side of the truck and hit Branch's left leg.
We're not sure how credible the "my dog did it" story is, but we are glad to report that Branch is expected to recover.
“At approximately 9:40 a.m., David Joe, David, Matt and I were all standing around the bed of the (Polaris) Ranger and Matt had laid his gun down flat in the bed of the Ranger and walked around on the passenger side to finish loading up,” [Micah] Heckford said. “I was at the tailgate no more than 4 feet away from him.”
Seeing that the hunters were loading the vehicle, another hunting companion, a Labrador retriever named Tito, jumped in the bed of the Ranger. As he walked around finding a place to sit, he stepped on the safety of Branch’s shotgun and pulled the trigger.
Sources: The Advocate, The Clarion Ledger, ESPN
Photo: Instagram (@lsufootballnews)