Riverside County sheriff's lieutenant killed in off-duty hunting accident in Idaho

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KABC) -- A lieutenant with the Riverside County Sheriff's Office was killed in a hunting accident Sunday in southern Idaho, authorities said.

According to a Facebook post shared by the Riverside Sheriffs' Association, Lt. Nathan Kaas, 48, was a member of the Sheriff's Emergency Response Team.

According to The San Bernardino Sun, Kaas was getting ready to hunt mule deer with a friend in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest when the friend pulled a rifle from its case and it accidentally discharged.

The bullet struck Kaas in the thigh in a spot that caused severe bleeding, the Sun reported.

A Help A Hero fundraiser shared by the Riverside Sheriffs' Association on behalf of the Kaas family says the 48-year-old was a husband and father of three.

"His relationship, love and service to Jesus Christ, his church and community, emboldened his impact on the many walks of life he encountered," read a statement posted on the online fundraiser. "He will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and loyal friend.

Nathan's character as a protector and mentor embodied the Service Above Self pride of the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. His relationship, love and service to Jesus Christ strengthened his impact on the many walks of life he encountered.

Lieutenant Kaas' loved ones, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, and the Riverside County Sheriffs' Association, thank you for your support, prayers and donations for the Kaas family."