Soldier, 25, arrested After Drunken game of Russian roulette ends horribly wrong

A soldier has been arrested on a charge of second-degree murder after a colleague allegedly killed himself in a drunken game of Russian roulette.

Jacob Brouch, from Anchorage, Alaska, a soldier at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, was charged yesterday in connection with the death of fellow soldier Michael McCloskey, 26, following the shooting at Brouch's home in Eagle River in the early hours of Sunday moing.

Brouch informed police that he and McCloskey had been drinking alcohol and played Russian roulette with Brouch's .44 revolver on Saturday night, according to the charging documents. 

Army: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson where both soldiers were stationed, though they were at Brouch's home when the incident happened

After some rounds of the game - played while Brouch's wife and two young children were in the home - the accused apparently put his gun away but the two continued to drink.

Then - according to Brouch's account - later that night, McCloskey allegedly asked to see the weapon again and asked for a bullet to continue playing the game.

The deceased was shot in the abdomen at approximately 2 am on Sunday.

Police were called to Brouch's home in Eagle River where the his friend had been shot in the abdomen.

Anchorage police claim Brouch, a private first class who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, knowingly engaged in conduct that lead to McCloskey's death by providing the gun and bullet, according to District Attoey Gustaf Olsen.

Both men belonged to the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Joint Base Elmenford-Richardson.

An Anchorage Police Department spokesman said: 'Detectives determined that the victim was holding the gun to his stomach when he fired his weapon, which had a round in his chamber, and resulted in his death.

'It's a very, very, dangerous game, one that should never be played. Weapons are not to be pointed, and unfortunately he destroyed his own life by pulling the trigger.'

Brouch's bail has been set at $250,000 and the judge demanded that he does not talk about the shooting incident with his wife or children as they are considered witnesses for future proceedings.