Tragedy struck a Collegeville family, when a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by his 17-year-old cousin on Wednesday evening, July 30.

Tyler Wayne Hogg would have entered the eighth grade at El Portal Middle School in Escalon starting Monday, but his life was cut short by what his family believes was an accidental shooting at his home in the 12000 block of East Mariposa Road. An obituary for Hogg appears on page A6 of this week's issue.

According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to the East Mariposa Road location in Collegeville about 6:45 p.m. on July 30, on a report of a possible self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Deputies arrived on scene and found medics and Collegeville Fire Department personnel providing medical aid to the victim, later identified as Hogg.

Among those emergency personnel on scene were Hogg's mother and stepfather, Dawn and Shawn Gossen, who both serve as volunteer firefighters with Collegeville Fire. They were participating in a drill when the call came in and responded to the shooting along with other members of the department.