Houston:
An 18-year-old Indian-American was shot dead by his friend, also of Indian-origin, during a dangerous game of Russian roulette in the US state of Texas, media said today.
Vikram Virk, 27, confessed to shooting Jaskaran Singh in the head while playing the deadly game in Virk's car, CBS News quoted police as saying.
Mr Singh was shot in the parking lot of a Red Roof Inn, police said. Mr Virk allegedly told police that he handed Mr Singh a handgun on Saturday that Mr Virk believed he had emptied. Jaskaran Singh then pulled the trigger twice while pointing it at Mr Virk, according to police.
"The suspect then took the gun and pointed it at (Singh) and pulled the trigger one time and the gun did not fire. The suspect then pulled the trigger a second time and the gun fired, striking the complainant in the left temple," a detective wrote in the arrest affidavit for Mr Virk.
Mr Virk rushed Mr Singh to a local hospital, where he died. Hospital personnel recovered the handgun used to shoot Mr Singh from Mr Virk's car and turned it over to police.
Mr Virk initially said Mr Singh shot himself, according to police, but during questioning allegedly admitted that he killed his friend.
Police have charged Mr Virk with manslaughter. He is being held on USD 1,50,000 bond. Further investigations were underway.
Russian roulette is the practice of loading a bullet into one chamber of a revolver, spinning the cylinder, and then pulling the trigger while pointing the gun at one's own head.