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A Twin Cities man deer hunting with others in east-central Minnesota was hit by gunfire from one or more people in his party and died, authorities announced Tuesday.

The man who was shot early Saturday afternoon was identified by the Aitkin County Sheriff's Office as Gregory J. Nase, 56, of Columbus, in Anoka County.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Nase was hunting with family on family-owned land in Milward Township about 6 miles northeast of McGrath, when some of them made a "deer drive" toward a wounded deer as others stood nearby.

"A shot or shots were reported to have been fired at a moving deer and believed to have struck the victim," a Sheriff's Office statement read. Emergency responders pronounced Nase dead at the scene.

Nase's death is being investigated by the Sheriff's Office and the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.