Family says truth about Dustin’s death ‘will die with’ accused

The family of a teenager accidentally shot in the head with a hunting rifle say they will never know the truth behind his death.

Dustin Buckley, 17, died after being shot in bush at Neerim East Forest.

The heartbroken family of a teenager killed during a shooting trip gone wrong say the truth of what happened that day will die with the young man charged over his death.

Dustin Buckley was just 17 when he was accidentally shot in the head with a hunting rifle in the state’s east in 2017.

He and his young mate were accompanied by an older male, Daniel McConnell, 27.

Dustin and his then 17-year-old friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been firing rounds at a disused TV in Memory Lane in the Neerim East State Forest on August 27 that year.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard after an afternoon of shooting, the accused teen loaded four more rounds into his .22 rifle, but only fired three.

Dustin Buckley was accidentally shot in the head with a hunting rifle.

He did not check the gun was not loaded when putting it back in the truck.

The teen later told police Dustin grabbed the gun and pointed it at his own head before he attempted to grab it off him. Neither knew the gun was loaded. The court heard after a brief “lighthearted” tussle over the rifle, it discharged and hit Dustin in the head.

The panicked teenager told McConnell they should lie about what had happened and the pair told hospital staff, and later police, they had been yabbying when they heard a volley of gunfire from an unknown shooter and Dustin was struck by a ricochet. Dustin died in hospital surrounded by family and friends two days later.

After signing false police statements, the teenager and McConnell eventually came clean.

But Dustin’s family members told the court they fear they’ll never know the truth.

Dustin Buckley has been remembered by friends as ‘an honourable young man’.

His aunt, Jamie Hickson said: “For someone to tell me Dust died wrestling over a gun, I will never believe it. Only you know what happened that day and from the looks of it, it will stay that way.”

Dustin’s sister, Naomi, told the teen in court that her heart had been ripped out. “You have broken me … the truth will die with you,” she said.

The teenager pleaded guilty to conduct endangering life and attempting to pervert the course of justice. McConnell admitted the latter charge.

Justice Paul Coghlan will sentence them on Tuesday.

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