Police: Man shot in Chatham hunting accident

CHATHAM — A hunter was shot in the leg by another hunter Tuesday while deer hunting, police said.

Robert Potter, 54, of Corinth, was hunting deer on private property at about 5 p.m. in the town of Chatham when he was accidentally shot in the left leg by Ernest Sutliff, 38, Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Potter and Sutliff are related and were hunting together with two other family members.

Potter was hospitalized after he was initially taken to Columbia Memorial Rapid Care in Valatie following the Tuesday shooting, which the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office called a hunting accident.

Potter was driven in a private vehicle to CMH Rapid Care for the treatment of a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was later transported by the Valatie Rescue Squad to Albany Medical Center.

State Environmental Conservation Officer Jeff Cox was notified and responded to Albany Medical Center to begin his investigation of the hunting related accident. Sheriff’s Investigator Ian Boehme is jointly investigating the shooting with Cox.

Anyone with information about the shooting can contact Boehme at the sheriff’s office at 518-828-3344.