A man from Kansas passed away after being shot by his dog during a hunting accident on Saturday morning.

As reported by People, a 30-year-old man from Witchita, Kansas, named Joseph Austin Smith, died from a gunshot wound inflicted by his dog while they were inside his pickup truck.

The Sumner County Sheriff's Office reported that the shooting accident occurred near 80th Street South and River Road, north of Geuda Springs, as reported by KAKE, an ABC affiliate.

According to the police, Smith was sitting in the front passenger seat of his truck when his dog accidentally discharged the rifle in the back seat, hitting the victim.

"Responding units arrived within minutes of the 911 call and started CPR," the sheriff's office said.

The owner of Browns Plumbing Services in Wichita, Kansas, confirmed on Tuesday that Smith was employed as a plumber at their company.

Chris Brown, the owner of the company, in a GoFundMe set up to assist the victim's family with funeral expenses, said: "Joe is absolutely the most unique individual I have had the pleasure of meeting. He was loved by all of us from all walks of life and loved the same."

"He made us laugh every morning whether it was at him or because of him he always made sure to be a positive light at my company. No matter how bad or stressful my or our day was, Joe always had something to lift our spirits."

Brown continued: "I have been a plumber for a long time and met many many different guys but never have I met another Joe and I am confident there may not be another.

"If you were lucky enough to know, be a friend or family of Joe, you understand what a great loss this is to the world. We must all learn to navigate without him in it. Please consider donating if you can, as any amount will truly help.

"We are very grateful for any donation during this very difficult time. If you are not able to donate, it would mean the world to us for you to share this link, someone else may be able to.

"I know it would mean a lot to myself, the rest of our crew, family and friends if you also shared a memory or story of Joe and what he has meant to you. We will forever feel so blessed to have him in our lives for just a short time. We will never forget you, Joe."

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, there have been over 100 unintentional shootings in the United States since the beginning of 2023.

The non-profit organization, Gun Violence Archive, reported over 1600 unintentional shootings last year, also according to their website, more than 2400 gun deaths have been recorded in the country in 2023 so far.