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Hamburg police officer Jason Franco, of Montague, was deer hunting near Havens and Lott roads in Wantage around 12:30 p.m. when the incident occurred, according to local and state police.
Franco was pronounced dead at the scene, "after an unintentional discharge of a weapon held by a juvenile while deer hunting in a group," said Lawrence Hajna, of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
"The identity of the juvenile in the party will not be released."
The accident was deemed non-suspicious. The New Jersey Conservation Police in the Division of Fish and Wildlife was handling the investigation.
More than $26,700 had been raised as of Thursday on a GoFundMe for Franco's family.
Hamburg police Lt. Jason Tangorra, who hired Franco in April 2018, remembered him as a dutiful officer.
"Jason Franco was loved by his family and his colleagues from all surrounding agencies," Tangorra said. "This was a complete tragedy and he will be missed."
Franco worked as an officer with the William Paterson University Police Department before he was in Hamburg.
"A dedicated community servant, prior to that, he worked for the Sussex County Department of Public Works and volunteered as both a Firefighter in Dingman's Ferry, PA and Montague Township as well as a Hazardous Materials Technician for the Sussex County HAZMAT Team," Hamburg's PBA wrote on Facebook.
"Well-liked and respected by his fellow coworkers in Hamburg as well as the law enforcement community in general, he will be missed by all but undoubtedly by none more than his family."
Funeral arrangements were pending.
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