A Michigan man celebrating his birthday committed suicide moments after he accidentally killed his best friend, cops said.
Zachary Woodcock invited friends over for his 21st birthday party at his Merrill home on Friday, and at some point pulled out a gun that he fired unintentionally, according to Saginaw County sheriff’s deputies, local channel WJRT reported.
When he realized he’d hit his friend, 21-year-old Richard Cody Skillman, in the chest, he went outside and turned the firearm on himself.
“From what I heard, they were best friends,” said Lt. Mike Gomez.
Cops said party-goers had been drinking alcohol before the tragic incident and that they recovered about 10 guns from the apartment and Skillman’s car.
“Any time there is alcohol involved and guns, that is a bad mix and almost nothing good is ever going to come of it,” Gomez said.
Woodcock’s family said they would be donating his organs to the organization Gift of Life and started a GoFundMe to set up a memorial fund in his honor.
