Zaky Pawas – A student at Garut Teachers' College was allegedly killed by a police-issued revolver during a game of Russian roulette, police have said.

The victim, who police identified as Herman, had invited National Police First Brig. Sofyan to visit his friend Lia's rented room in Garut, West Java, on Monday, National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Marwoto said.

Herman "praised Sofyan, saying that Sofyan looked macho using a pistol," he said. Three of Herman's friends, including Lia, were also in the room, Marwoto said, and witnessed the death.

Marwoto said that upon reaching Lia's room, Herman allegedly challenged Sofyan to use his gun in a game of deadly Russian roulette. The game is played by placing a single round in the chamber of a revolver, spinning the cylinder, placing the gun against the head and pulling the trigger.

Herman "apparently wanted to see if [the gun] was lethal or not," Marwoto said. Sofyan reportedly agreed to the game.

Sofyan "removed four bullets from the magazine and left one inside. Herman then challenged Sofyan to guess whether or not the pistol would go off if Sofyan put it against Herman's head and pulled the trigger.

"First Brigadier Sofyan knew that if he pulled the trigger, the gun would go off. He still pulled the trigger. The gun went off, and Herman died on the spot," Marwoto said.

Sofyan is currently being held at Garut Police precinct, and is being charged with Article 359 of the Criminal Code on negligence causing severe injury or death. He could face a maximum 10 years in jail if found guilty.

"An ad hoc ethics tribunal will be held once the criminal trial is done and over with," Marwoto said. Administratively, "the worst that could happen to him is being fired from the force."

Marwoto said there was no other suspected motive to the case than mischief. The situation he said, was one of "everything getting out of hand" very fast. He added that National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri had been briefed on the incident.