A Michigan man killed himself in the course of telling his girlfriend how safe his three handguns were, the Oakland Free Press reported on Monday.
Authorities said the unidentified 36-year-old victim placed two of the handguns to his head and fired to demonstrate that they were safe while unloaded, before fatally shooting himself with the third firearm. The victim’s girlfriend, with whom he shared a residence in Independence Township, told authorities he had been drinking before the incident.
The Oakland County Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide. The victim’s blood-alcohol level had not been established as of Monday afternoon.
“I have never heard of anyone testing out the safety of a gun by pointing at their head an pulling the trigger,†Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe was quoted as saying.
Despite the woman’s attempts to revive him using CPR, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Three children unrelated to the victim, ranging from 7 to 12 years old, were also in the home but did not witness the shooting.
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