Man accidentally kills self at party

MANILA, Philippines—Fondling a gun after having some drinks at a party proved deadly for a 32-year-old fire volunteer who shot himself in the head with a gun he apparently thought was unloaded after it misfired three times, police said.

Police said Richard Dungca, of 1147 Juan Luna Street, Barangay 59 Zone 52, in Tondo, Manila, was declared dead on arrival at the Mary Johnston Hospital from a bullet wound in the head Thursday night.

Senior Police Officer 2 Edmundo Cabal of the Manila Police District homicide section said the incident happened at around 11:45 p.m. in Dungca’s house.

Cabal said Dungca was having drinks with several of his tenants to celebrate the first birthday of couple Jerwin Roque and Jenny Jardiel’s baby.

Dungca excused himself from the small gathering and asked Roque to produce a 9-mm pistol he had requested his tenant to keep.

On receiving the gun, Dungca reportedly cocked the weapon and pulled the trigger. The pistol did not go off, emboldening the fire volunteer to repeat the procedure two more times, Cabal said.

In his fourth try, Dungca cocked the pistol, pointed it to his head, and pulled the trigger. This time it fired, causing Dungca to keel over on the floor, dead, Cabal said.

The shocked tenants brought the wounded fire volunteer to the nearest hospital, but the effort was futile.

Dungca’s body was taken to Lorenzo funeral homes.