The Cherokee County Coroner’s Office reports that one man is dead after a hunting accident.
Brian James Gilliam, 42 of Gaffney, was found Saturday around noon in a wooded area about a mile from the NC boarder near Robbs School Road, northwest of Gaffney.
Gilliam, who leaves behind a teen son, a young adult daughter and 3 toddler grandchildren, was on the property to hunt turkeys along with a friend, Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler said.
Gilliam and his friend got separated sometime during the night according to Fowler, and Gilliam set a light facing upward on a stump in an apparent attempt to signal his friend.
The report then states that Gilliam attempted to climb out of a deep ravine on the property, but slipped on some rocks on the way up and his shotgun discharged into his arm and shoulder.
Gilliam then walked about 40 yards to an open clearing, which is where the land owner found him and notified the Coroner’s Office about a dead body.
The friend who was with Gilliam during the hunt says they were picked up around 2 a.m. after they were unable to locate Gilliam, and went back home with a turkey they had shot earlier in the evening.
Gilliam’s daughter and friends went out to search for him after being missing all night but were not able to locate her father.
Gilliam, who was a 1987 graduate of Blacksburg High School, was a self employed roofer, according to his relatives. He leaves behind a 24-year-old daughter, a 13-year old-son, 5 and 3 year old grand-daughters and a 1-year-old grandson.
A family member has set up a GoFundMe page to help Gilliam’s daughter pay for funeral expenses.
“She desperately needs help with funeral expenses for her father Brain. I am posting this to help her and my grandchildern. I would like to thank everyone in advance that donates money for Brain Gilliam’s Funeral Expenses,” wrote Linda Cathcart on the website.
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday morning, and the death is being investigated by the Cherokee County Coroner’s Office and also SC Department of Natural Resources.
