PALM HARBOR, Fla. – A Florida man is now facing a manslaughter charge after he pointed what he thought was an unloaded rifle at his friend and shot him in the chest, police said.
Shea Michael Harkins was in a bedroom of a home on Thursday night when he picked up a Colt M4 rifle that he had been customizing and pointed it at Sean Cook, 26, Pinellas County Sheriff's investigators said.
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The friends had been playing video games at Harkins' house, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Harkins, 26, told deputies he pointed the gun at his friend as a joke, officials said. He told investigators that Cook said, “What are you going to do, shoot me?”
He pulled the trigger, thinking the rifle was unloaded. However there was a round in the chamber, deputies said.
The bullet struck Cook in the chest, investigators said.
Cook was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators arrested Harkins was arrested, and remained in the Pinellas County Jail on Friday morning. A lawyer isn’t listed on jail records..