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Teen dies playing Russian roulette

A teenager has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head after losing a game of Russian roulette on his back porch in Florida.

17-year-old Thorin Montgomery was the first of four friends hold a gun with a single bullet inside it to his head and pull the trigger - but the gamble didn’t pay off and the .38 calibre bullet entered his skull.

The incident occurred at around 7.45pm on Friday night as Thorin spent the night with friends.

It's believed they were playing Russian roulette – where you put a single bullet in a gun's chamber, spin it, then pull the trigger while aiming at your own head – for a thrill.

After shooting himself, Thorin collapsed to the floor as his friends, aged 16, 18 and 19, called paramedics.

He was airlifted to hospital but died several hours later.

A neighbour told a local news station the scene was 'crazy' as paramedics arrived and other neighbours rushed to the scene.

"I'm shocked to find out they're stupid enough to play that game," he said neighbour.

"Kids nowadays, with them playing with guns the way they do, there's no reason for that."

The game originated in Russia and was made famous in the film The Deer Hunter starring Robert de Niro and Christopher Walken.

Although deaths from Russian roulette aren't common, the majority of people killed while playing the game are men aged under 30.

At least three people have been killed in the past 20 years playing Russian roulette in Florida alone, police say.

It's estimated around ten people each year die while playing the game.

After his death, several of Thorin's friends took to social media to pay tribute to him.
"Truly blessed to have been such amazing friends with you Thorin … rest your soul in paradise," one wrote.