Game with gun ends in death in South Bend (Russian roulette with dog)

[onehandle]

SOUTH BEND — A game of Russian roulette with a dog ended when a College Street man put a bullet in his own head. Russell Little was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital late Tuesday following the self-inflicted gunshot wound in the backyard of his home in the 1600 block of North College Street.

Little's wife told police he was sitting in the backyard depressed and drinking moonshine when he took a handgun and began playing Russian roulette with the pet dog at about 9 p.m.

After a couple of empty clicks aimed at the dogs head, "She said he got tired of that, then put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger," said Capt. Jim Andrews of the South Bend Police Department.

An emergency medical technician was overheard on a police radio describing X-rays that showed the bullet entered near the victim's right ear and lodged in the left side of his skull.

http://articles.southbendtribune.com/2011-06-07/news/29632542_1_russian-roulette-gunshot-wound-dogs-head

[jeepnstein]

1. How depressing.

Not only was he so low he was sitting in the back yard contemplating suicide but his wife just let it happen. Playing Russian Roulette with the family dog is a pretty strong indicator that something is not quite right. People who are suicidal are literally their own worst enemies. Of course somebody will be along to blame the gun. The truth is far more complicated than that.

[KurtNYC]

2. I hate the idea that people drink to "escape from their problems"

Drinking in quantity fuels depression. It isn't escape -- it is wallowing in the problems. Creates even more problems.

And sorry but how dare he involve the dog ! The dog won btw.

[Walk away]

3. That's how it is with guns. I'm just glad the dog is okay! nt

[eqfan592]

5. More like that's how it is with...

...depressed, suicidal people. But hey, never pass up a chance to demonize firearms, right?

[WatsonT]

7. They get you drunk and make you suicidal?

[Walk away]

18. When you get drunk and depressed they make it simple and easy to...

pull the trigger on yourself. I knew a woman who suffered from depression for years. She actually applied for a gun permit in order to commit suicide. She had tried pills but was unsuccessful and wanted something "fool proof". Lucky for her she lived in Secaucus NJ and they make it extremely difficult to get a permit unless you need it for a specific type of work.

Now? She's still alive and on better meds.

[AtheistCrusader]

4. How is it possible there are witnesses but no intervention?

[ileus]

6. Bet the dogs happy...

[The Green Manalishi]

8. And they say you can't fix stupid.

Guns and alcohol and credit cards -
all let you do stupid things much faster

[eqfan592]

10. Cars would fit that as well. Nt

[oneshooter]

19. But you can, and he did. n/t

[PavePusher]

9. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Evolution is cold and heartless, stupid is a terminal disease.

What's the point here?

[rrneck]

11. Take a minute to imagine

how miserable someone has to be to seriously consider suicide. Take another minute to consider how many years he may have felt that way. Then take another minute to kick yourself for using the pain of his life and death to make an ideological point without so much as a comment; just cut and paste it on an internet message board like a fucking weather report. And don't forget to take a minute to pat yourself on the back for being such a compassionate progressive.

[petronius]

13. Seriously. Tragic events are fair for discussion on DU (although I'd think this

one belongs more in a mental health related forum rather than guns), but the score-keeping and flippancy around these posts is tasteless in the extreme...

[rrneck]

15. Very true.

Any aspect if firearms ownership and use is fair game and people on both sides of the issue could be reminded of the reality of firearms. After a while you sort of get to know who is posting to prompt thoughtful discussion and who is doing so for more self serving reasons.

Some issues come closer to home than others, and I have had a lot of experience with this one. Howzit the knuckle dragging gunnies are always the voice of reason around here?

[PuffedMica]

12. There is a direct correlation here

Moonshine is a prime enabler of suicide.

We can reduce suicides by placing restrictions on moonshine.

[Katya Mullethov]

14. Tried that

But higher sugar tariffs , cap and trade CO2 emissions taxes ,and a ban on yeast oughtta do the trick . With enough funding and the complete backing of the American people , we will round the corner in the war on moonshine madness .

[ergot]

16. the first sarcasmer around here don't stand a chance

:rofl:

[PavePusher]

17. Hey, we're proffesionals, don't try this at home... n/t