Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 3/6/2013 (2662 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FRIENDS and family are mourning the loss of a 17-year-old Steinbach boy, shot and killed during a camping trip about 250 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

The teenager, mistaken for a bear outside a tent, was killed in a remote area of northeastern Manitoba early Sunday by a fellow camper, a 22-year-old man also from Steinbach.

Jacob Russell Wright

In all, four people were camping at Namay Falls, near the mouth of the Bloodvein River, when the man heard what he thought was a bear near his tent and fired a gun, RCMP say.

The teen, who a family member identified as Jacob Russell Wright, was killed.

RCMP Sgt. Line Karpish said someone called 911 and officers arrived to find the group "very distraught."

The four had been dropped into their campsite by helicopter and were just beginning a canoe trip down the Bloodvein River, Karpish said. The tragic shooting occurred about 4 a.m., during their first night in the wilderness.

A family member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Wright was one of four children and had been living with his father in Calgary but recently moved to Steinbach to be with his mom.

"We're devastated," the relative said.

An autopsy was conducted in Winnipeg on Monday.

RCMP are continuing to investigate, and Karpish said no charges have been laid.

Bloodvein RCMP responded to the call with the assistance of Powerview RCMP, who chartered a helicopter to reach the scene, 12 nautical miles from Bloodvein First Nation.

"It is certainly a very sad reminder of the great responsibility that comes with handling firearms," said Karpish.

Sadly, it's not that unusual for people to be mistaken for wildlife and shot accidentally, she said.

"These people were out in the middle of nowhere, and there are bears out there and cougars. There may be other types of wildlife that may pose a threat," she said. "In this case, the young man believed it was a bear and fired the gun."

Namay Rapids is one of the most spectacular campsites along the Bloodvein River, a Canadian heritage waterway popular with whitewater paddlers. The large campsite sits alongside a long, obstacle-free rapid that serves as an excellent water-play spot.

As a result, the campsite is extremely popular with canoeists and kayakers descending the Bloodvein toward Lake Winnipeg.

-- staff, with files from The Canadian Press