Hotel guard kills self in gun prank; CCTV footage records incident

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MANILA, Philippines–A 26-year-old security guard accidentally shot himself dead Monday evening while showing off his claimed guns skills to his colleagues in a hotel in Malate, Manila, the police said.

A closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage documented Lumil Ocampo’s stunt and cleared his fellow security guards, at the Pearl Lane Hotel, at the corner of Maria Orosa and Malvar Streets, of any involvement in his death.

Senior Police Officer 2 Ronald Gallo, of the Manila Police District Homicide Section, said that the incident happened  around 6 p.m. at the hotel’s employee entrance while Ocampo was turning over his duty to colleagues Rene Luces and Joemar Saquibal.

Gallo pointed out that before the incident, Ocampo suddenly drew his 9 mm service pistol, playfully aimed the gun at his colleagues, and jokingly threatened to shoot them.

Luces scolded him for the bad joke, saying it was dangerous to point a gun at anybody as it might accidentally go off.

Ocampo laughed off the advice and told Luces the pistol was not loaded since he had already removed the magazine. Nevertheless, he placed the pistol back in its holster.

When Luces left, Saquibal continued to talk with Ocampo about his stunt.

The case investigator told the INQUIRER that Ocampo, in an apparent move to prove the pistol was not loaded, cocked the firearm, put the muzzle against his right temple and pulled the trigger.

Gallo said the pistol, which still had a bullet inside, went off and instantly killed Ocampo.

Saquibal immediately informed his supervisor Mark Anthony Lasala, who reported the incident to the police. The hotel management turned over the CCTV footage of the accidental shooting to the MPD Homicide Section.