ROCHESTER, WI — New body camera footage shows former Racine County Sheriff's Deputy James Lehman explaining a hunting incident near Honey Creek Wildlife Area that left a 40-year-old man and his 7-year-old son shot, after Lehman reportedly mistook them for a turkey.
TMJ4 obtained hours of body camera footage Thursday showing the initial investigation and interviews conducted near Honey Creek Wildlife Area.
In the footage, Lehman speaks to investigators shortly after the shooting.
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"I thought he had left, I didn't realize he was still out there otherwise I probably wouldn't have even gone over there," James Lehman said.
After that initial interview, Lehman walked investigators down a path to where he and his daughter were set up and explained what he thought he saw before pulling the trigger.
Lehman said he was sitting behind a branch holding the weapon, with his daughter on his lap, when they thought they saw a turkey.
"I thought I saw the white one the head poking out and then they were kind of blending together at that distance but I thought I saw the red and kind of the blue head looking at us," Lehman said.
When investigators asked who pulled the trigger, Lehman told DNR investigators his daughter did.
Investigators then asked how much hunting experience Lehman had.
"not very many years, this is my first year doing it very seriously kind of getting into it and studying more," Lehman said.
Investigators collected evidence at the scene, including the shotgun, a bloodied jacket, and a backpack belonging to one of the victims that had pellet holes in it.
Both victims, who Lehman knew, survived. The child had surgery in June to remove the pellets, but surgeons were unable to remove one near the boy's spinal cord, another in his skull, and a third in his brain.
Watching video of the incident made Lehman emotional.
"I work in the sheriff's office, he is my friend, was my friend, hopefully I don't know how he feels about me now," Lehman said.
Prior to 2018, children had to be 10 or older to hunt in Wisconsin. That minimum age was eliminated. Now, children of any age can hunt as long as they are with a mentor who is over 18, a parent or guardian, and has completed the Hunter Education Course.
Lehman did not have to complete that course because of his prior military service.
Lehman is due in court next week.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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