The woman who died Monday after relatives drove her to a Lawrence fire station for help was mortally wounded by a gunshot blast while hunting rabbits, Douglas County Sheriff Rick Trapp said.

The woman was identified Tuesday by Trapp as Patricia A. French, 62, Lawrence. She had been with relatives rabbit hunting near East 1650 and North 1100 roads, Trapp said.

“The investigation is still going on, but everything appears to be the result of a tragic accident,” Trapp said.

An autopsy was to be performed Tuesday or today, Trapp said early Tuesday. When the investigation is complete, information will be sent for review to the Douglas County district attorney, Trapp said.

No other details about what happened are being released at this time because of the investigation, Trapp said.

Shortly after noon Monday, a sport utility vehicle with three people and the wounded woman pulled up in front of the bay doors to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical Station No. 2, 1941 Haskell Ave. The occupants sought help from firefighters and ambulance personnel there.

French was taken by ambulance to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Trapp identified the people with French on the hunting expedition as her husband, Robert French, their daughter, LaDonna Commons, and Commons’ husband, Dana Commons. All are Lawrence residents, sheriff’s officers said.French had worked as a nurse’s aide at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Douglas County Visiting Nurses Assn. and Watkins Student Health Center at Kansas University.

Marceil Lauppe, executive director at Visiting Nurses, said French worked at the association many years ago.

“She was a very caring and kind person,” Lauppe said. “She was an excellent care-giver, and the patients really liked her.”