A St. Louis, Mo., police officer has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after a fatal game of “Russian Roulette” led to the death of another officer.
According to a probable cause statement released by St. Louis police on Friday, 29-year-old Nathaniel Hendren, is accused of killing fellow officer Katlyn Alix, 24, at his apartment on Thursday.
Hendren, Alix and a third officer were at Hendren’s apartment when Hendren emptied the bullets from a revolver, leaving one in the chamber, the statement said. Hendren was on duty at the time, while Alix was off duty.
“He spun the cylinder and pointed it away and pulled the trigger,” the statement reads. “The gun did not fire at this point. the victim took the gun and then pointed the gun at the defendant and pulled the trigger. The gun still did not fire. The defendant took the gun back and pointed it at the victim, pulled the trigger causing the gun to discharge. The victim was struck in the chest. The victim subsequently died from the gunshot wound to the chest.”
The third officer present, Hendren’s partner, said he advised both Hendren and Alix that they were police officers and “shouldn’t be playing with guns.” The unidentified officer said he felt uncomfortable and “didn’t want any part of it” but as he headed out of the apartment, he heard the gun fire, the statement said.
On Friday, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner released a statement saying Hendren faces involuntary first-degree manslaughter charges that could be punishable by three to 10 years in prison.
“I will hold people accountable who violate Missouri law regardless of their profession, public status or station in life,” Gardner’s statement reads. “Today, as much as it saddens my staff and me to file these charges, Katlyn and her family deserve accountability and justice.”
