Officer Reportedly Bashed Head After Colleague's Shooting

Katlyn Alix, 24, apparently was killed playing Russian roulette
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 29, 2019 6:18 PM CST
Cop Accused of Killing Colleague Hurt Himself Afterward
St. Louis Police officer Katlyn Alix was killed last week in a shooting at a fellow officer's home.   (St. Louis Police Department via AP, File)

A St. Louis police officer charged with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a colleague injured himself after the shooting, sources tell the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. After taking Katlyn Alix to the hospital, Nathaniel Hendren reportedly head-butted the back window of a police SUV outside the hospital, breaking the window and causing minor head injuries. Fox 2 says he reportedly did so "in distress." Police took him into custody in his hospital room Monday. The 29-year-old was booked into jail the same day, his bail set at $50,000 cash. Court documents say Hendren, who was on duty at the time, and Alix, who was off duty, were playing with a revolver at Hendren's house early Thursday, taking turns spinning the cylinder and pulling the trigger while the gun, which was loaded with one bullet, was pointed at the other. The gun went off, hitting Alix in the chest. The 24-year-old two-year veteran of the force was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:07am.

Hendren's partner, who was also at the house, said that he didn't take part in the game and that he told his colleagues they shouldn't play with guns. The St. Louis prosecutor, Kimberly Gardner, has questioned whether police tried to prevent drug and alcohol testing of Hendren and his partner, per the Post-Dispatch. She told the police chief and public safety director in a letter that there was "probable cause at the scene that drugs or alcohol may be a contributing factor in a potential crime." The public safety director denied any mishandling of the case. Hendren's defense attorney issued a statement saying the death of Alix "was a tragic accident that has unalterably impacted the lives of everyone involved." (The department received another jolt Monday when two officers were charged in a shooting outside a bar.)

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