South Alabama man killed by lightning strike

A South Alabama man died Saturday when he was struck by lightning, authorities said.

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Gregory Shipp, 31, of Brewton, became the sixth fatality from a lightning strike this year, according to the National Lightning Safety Council. All six deaths occurred in six different states since June 22, the agency reported.

Shipp was among a group of four adults and a child floating down Burnt Corn Creek in Brewton when a thunderstorm hit the area, The Brewton Standard reported. Capt. James Carroll, of the Brewton Fire Department, told the newspaper that Shipp was unresponsive on a sandbar when first responders arrived.

“He was already on the sandbar when I arrived and CPR had started,” Carroll told the Standard. “When the medics arrived, they tried to save him, but they weren’t able to.”

No one else was injured, AL.com reported.

According to his obituary, Shipp was a native of Pensacola, Florida, and a longtime resident of Brewton. He was a CNC machine operator at Brewton Iron Works.

Shipp is survived by his wife and three children, along with his father and brother, according to his obituary.

Last year, the U.S. had 11 lightning-related deaths, according to the National Lightning Safety Council.

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