Florida man kills friend while showing off gun he thought was unloaded, sheriff's department reports

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (WFLA) -- Two 26-year-old friends playing video games at home when one shot the other while showing him what he thought was an unloaded gun, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department.

Pinellas County deputies say Sean Cook visited Shea Harkins at his house in Palm Harbor Thursday evening. The department says at about 7:45 p.m. Harkins retrieved a Colt M4 rifle he had been customizing before Cook arrived.

Harkins told detectives he returned to the bedroom and pointed the rifle at Cook as a joke, at which point Cook casually remarked “What, are you going to shoot me?” Harkins admitted to detectives he pulled the trigger on what he thought was an unloaded weapon.

Deputies said the gun had a bullet in the chamber, which struck Cook in the chest. Cook was pronounced dead at Mease Countryside Hospital at 8:55 p.m. Shea Harkins has been charged with one count of manslaughter.

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