GUNNISON, Colo. (AP) – The death of a Long Island man who was shot by his son’s rifle on a hunting trip to Colorado has been ruled an accident, and no charges will be filed, authorities said.

Joseph DiBiasa Jr., 66, of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., was killed instantly Tuesday, Gunnison County investigators said.

His son, Joseph Michael DiBiasa, 44, of Jefferson Station, N.Y., had accidentally grabbed the trigger of his rifle when the leather shoulder sling broke and the weapon began to fall, Undersheriff Rick Besecker said. The son was walking in front of the father, Besecker said.

“As he was walking along, the sling broke, and when a weapon is positioned like that it will fall back,” he said. “Feeling it break, he reached around and grabbed for it.”

Besecker said the rifle’s safety feature was not turned on.

The men were hunting with a group on Fitzpatrick Mesa in Gunnison County, Besecker said.

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Information from: The Daily Sentinel, http://www.gjsentinel.com

AP-ES-10-26-06 1844EDT