Local man plays game, shoots himself

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Police have identified a man they say shot himself in the head while playing a game with a gun over the weekend. 

An autopsy has confirmed the man is Nickolas Thomas, 20, of Fort Wayne. 

According to police, Thomas had spent most of the day entertaining friends at 2626 Carver Court.  At one point, witnesses tell police Thomas made a comment suggesting a game of Russian Roulette.

Fort Wayne police were called to the house around 4:45 a.m. Saturday. When medics arrived, Thomas was in critical condition. They took him to the hospital where he died.

According to witnesses, there was not an organized game of Russian Roulette going on at the time of Thomas' death.  Instead police say what could have been just a joke lead to tragedy.

"It's very unfortunate. It's not a game. If you liken it as a game it's a game of life and death and clearly we had the worst possible circumstance surrounding this particular incident," Officer Michael Joyner, spokesman for FWPD said.

The Allen County coroner has ruled Thomas' death a suicide.  He died of a gunshot wound to the head.