St. Louis police officer in custody after Russian roulette death of female colleague

A St. Louis police officer charged with accidental manslaughter in his coworker’s death has appeared with a black eye in his mugshot.

Officer Nathaniel Hendren faces up to 10 years in prison after what prosecutors have called a deadly game of Russian Roulette.

Hendren, officer Katlyn Alix and another male officer were together just before 1 a.m. Thursday when they began toying around with a revolver.

According to police, Hendren emptied all of the bullets but one from the weapon, then spun the cylinder and fired. The cylinder was empty.

Alix did the same, again with an empty cylinder, then gave the gun back to Hendren.

At that point, he fired and hit her in the chest.

She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at St. Louis University Hospital.

'Katlyn and her family deserve accountability and justice'

“I have said this many times before; I will hold people accountable who violate Missouri law regardless of their profession, public status or station in life,” St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner said in a statement last week.

“As much as it saddens my staff and me to file these charges, Katlyn and her family deserve accountability and justice.”

Hendren’s attorney has called Alix’s death a “tragic accident that has unalterably impacted the lives of everyone involved.”

He was charged Friday and booked Monday, when he was photographed with his black eye after being hospitalized for busting his head through a police cruiser's back window, sources told KMOV.

Hendren’s partner, who has not been publicly identified, has been placed on administrative leave.

Both men were on duty at the time of the shooting, according to police.