Anthony Yates
A man has died after he and a friend allegedly took turns shooting each other in the head while wearing a helmet. Authorities initially suspected the victim had shot themselves.
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What happened: On August 17, deputies at Constable Mark Herman’s Office in Harris County responded to a reported shooting. The incident occurred at the 23700 block of Pennington Hills Drive.
- Authorities said in a news release that emergency services located a man with a gunshot wound to the head. “EMS are on scene and actively providing medical care,” officials said. At the time, police explained there was an active investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Authorities Shared More Details About The Shooting
A deadly game: The Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) posted an update about the shooting on August 28. Sheriff Ed Gonzales wrote, “Hard to believe two so-called friends would take turns shooting at each other wearing a helmet, inside a house in a residential neighborhood, while using a rifle.”
- HCSO reveals that four deputies responded to the August 17 shooting. Officials named the victim as 34-year-old Aaron Prout from the UK, who lived in Harris County.
- Emergency services transported Prout to a local hospital, but he died from his injuries. The news release also admits that officers initially believed Prout shot himself. However, detectives noticed that some things weren’t adding up. “With thorough follow-up investigation, the truth was ultimately revealed,” Sheriff Gonzales explained.
Authorities charged the shooter: HCSO arrested 37-year-old Sean Odonnell in connection with the shooting. Detectives have charged him with the alleged murder of Aaron Prout and booked him into Harris County Jail.
Another avoidable death: Earlier this month, the NYPD received reports from concerned bystanders, saying they saw a man in a diner with a gun. The suspect left the establishment, but an off-duty officer spotted them still holding the weapon.
- NYPD Assistant Chief Melissa Eger explained that the officer was with a colleague who was also off duty, and they approached the man together. The off-duty officers repeatedly ordered the suspect to put down the weapon, but he refused.
- Instead, Eger reveals that he pointed the gun at the officers instead. One officer fired their weapon, striking the suspect while he was still holding the gun. The suspect later died in the hospital.
- After the incident, investigators discovered the suspect’s gun was fake. The NYPD also shared images of the imitation on social media.
