Police officer dies at the hand of another officer in a deadly game of Russian Roulette
A tragic, senseless and bizarre tale comes out of St. Louis, Missouri, where initially, the story went that one police officer “accidentally” shot and killed another police officer after his service weapon “accidentally discharged.” Now we’re hearing that St. Louis Police Department Officer Nathaniel Hendren, 29, pointed his weapon directly at Officer Katlyn Alix, 24, in an ill-conceived game of Russian Roulette. Hendren fired his gun at Alix, striking her in the chest at point blank range.
A third officer with the St. Louis Police Department, Hendren’s partner, was also on hand for the deadly game, according to USA Today.
The shooting took place just after midnight on Thursday in Hendren’s apartment located in the Carondelet section of the city. Hendren and his partner were on duty at the time; Alix was off duty.
Hendren took all the bullets out of a revolver and then put one back in, police said in a probable cause statement. He spun the cylinder, pointed it away and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire.
Alix then took the gun, pointed it at Hendren and pulled the trigger without discharging a bullet, police said.
Hendren’s partner told Hendren and Alix “that they shouldn’t be playing with guns and that they were police officers,” police said in the statement.
“He felt uncomfortable with them playing with guns and didn’t want to have any part of it and started to leave.”
Hendren took the gun back and pulled the trigger.
“As [Hendren’s partner] left the room but before leaving the apartment, he heard a shot,” police said.
Alix was struck in the chest. ~ USA Today
According to a police statement, a call for “officer in need of aid” was put out at 12:56 a.m., and the third officer told the dispatcher they were taking Alix to the hospital. Alix was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, the statement said.
CNN reported that Hendren has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the first degree in Alix’s shooting death. The third police officer on the scene has not yet been identified. After charges were levied against Hendren, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner said that Hendren is looking at a possible three to 10 years behind bars.
“I will hold people accountable who violate Missouri law regardless of their profession, public status or station in life. Today, as much as it saddens my staff and me to file these charges, Katlyn and her family deserve accountability and justice.”
The Washington Post reported that Alix was a U.S. Army veteran who had been with the St. Louis Police Department for two years. Hendren had only been on the force for a year, while his unidentified partner has about two years on the force.
~ Written by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
