Family speak out after scientist dad shot dead on California camping trip with daughters, 2 and 4

The family of a man who was shot dead on a camping trip in California with his two young daughters have spoken out about his tragic death.

Tristan Beaudette, 35, died after suffering a gunshot wound to his upper torso at a campsite in Malibu Creek State Park in Calabasas on Friday morning.

Mr Beaudette’s family have released a statement saying they are “heartbroken” about his death and their grief is “indescribable”.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of our beloved friend, husband, and father, Tristan Beaudette, whose life was tragically cut short by a senseless act of gun violence while on a camping trip with his two young daughters,” the statement read.

“The grief and trauma this loss has caused our close-knit family is indescribable. Tristan was universally admired by his friends and family. A scientist who loved cooking and micro-brews.

“Tristan was happiest out in nature, and spent every chance he could hiking, biking, snowboarding and camping with his family. Married to his high school sweetheart, Tristan was a supportive and generous husband, a full partner in every sense of the word.”

Mr Beaudette, from Irvine in Orange County, has been identified as a scientist who worked for a pharmaceutical company.

He was camping with his two and four year old daughters – they had decided to give his wife who is a doctor a quiet night to herself so she could study for an exam. The children were not hurt in the shooting.

According to a GoFundMe page set up for the family, the couple were planning to relocate to the Bay Area for new jobs.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s L Rodney Moore said “the theory we are working with is he was shot inside the tent” in the area which is frequently travelled by hikers and day trekkers. Mr Moore said the children were also inside the tent.

He said: “We are working this as a homicide at this point. We are gathering evidence. ... It will take some time.”

The man’s family members were taken to the sheriff’s Lost Hills station for investigators to interview them.

Detectives - who have been left confused by the shooting - hunted the area in and around the family’s tent on Friday assisted by deputies and forensic technicians. The campground was closed to the public and sheriff’s scent dogs were brought in.

No arrests have been made and detectives provided no information about a suspect or motive.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the victim died at the scene of the shooting which was reported at 4.45am on Friday in the 1900 block of Las Virgenes Road.

At least 60 state-owned campsites in the park have closed in the wake of the fatal shooting to allow sheriff’s detectives to hunt for the shooter.

Campers were forced to leave all of the 60 campsites – which will stay closed until at least Thursday - on Friday.

“We hope to reopen on Friday, June 29,” Tony Hoffman, a superintendent for California State Parks told NBC4. “We’ll re-evaluate it daily to see if we can’t open sooner, or, of course, extend the closure if necessary.”

Malibu Creek State Park is an 8,215-acre park famed for being the backdrop for TV series M*A*S*H and films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the original Planet of the Apes.

An investigation remains underway.