GUILTY MN - Pedro Ruiz, 22, dies in stunt gone wrong, Halstad, 27 June 2017

[Indy Anna]

:shakehead:

According to the criminal complaint filed by Norman County Sheriff Jeremy Thornton, the 19-year-old Perez told investigators that Ruiz wanted to make a video of her shooting a bullet into a book he was holding against his chest. She says she fired from about a foot away.

<snip> http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-youtube-stunt-death-20170629-story.html


A few hours before the shooting, a posting went up on Perez's Twitter account that read: "Me and Pedro are probably going to shoot one of the most dangerous videos ever. HIS idea not MINE." The note included two wide-eyed emoji faces and another of an eye-covering monkey with a gaping mouth.

The Desert Eagle is described by retailer Cabela's in an online ad as "one of the world's most powerful semiautomatic handguns."

[...]

Another aunt of Ruiz's told WDAY-TV in Fargo that the shooting outside the couple's home on Hwy. 75, with their 3-year-old daughter nearby, was part of a stunt they intended to post on YouTube.

<snip> http://www.startribune.com/minnesot...friend-in-fame-seeking-video-prank/431313063/

BBM That poor child witnessed the death of her father. </snip>:frown:</snip>

 

[Catch2266]

Where in the world did they get a Desert Eagle? $$$$


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[al66pine]

MN - Pedro Ruiz III, 22, dead, pregnant GF charged in YouTube stunt gone wrong

Gone wrong?
How did it go 'wrong'?
Went exactly as some/many/most ppl, with or without firearms experience or training, could have predicted: death or serious injury.



(condolences to little daughter)

 

[Indy Anna]

MN - Pedro Ruiz III, 22, dead, pregnant GF charged in YouTube stunt gone wrong

Gone wrong?
How did it go 'wrong'?
Went exactly as some/many/most ppl, with or without firearms experience or training, could have predicted: death or serious injury.



(condolences to little daughter)

Yes, it was predictable to most--except the guy, perhaps. Not sure why he would've thought otherwise since it was a high-powered gun and the shooter stood only 1 foot away! I don't understand why the gf went through with it because she recognized the stunt's impracticality. I would have refused! He may have found someone else to do the shooting, but at least their children would've continued having the presence of a mother in their lives, and her conscience would be clear.

 

[Meryl12]

They were teenagers, - act first - think later.
I feel sorry for their 3 year old daughter, it all happened right in front of her - she will never forget it. She will eventually get over it - but she will never forget it.

 

[Schmatz]

Actually at three years only she probably will forgot. And good thing if so.

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[Indy Anna]

Actually at three years only she probably will forgot. And good thing if so.

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I hope you're right, but I remember things from when I was 1-2 years old--and they are not traumatic events.

 

[borndem]

From the New York Times:

[h=1]A Stunt Turns Deadly for a Couple Seeking YouTube Fame[/h]By MATT STEVENS<time class="dateline" datetime="2017-06-30T01:48:04-04:00" itemprop="dateModified" content="2017-06-30T01:48:04-04:00">
JUNE 29, 2017

</time> On Monday evening, the couple suddenly upped the ante when, the authorities say, Ms. Perez, 19, shot at a thick book that Mr. Ruiz, 22, was holding, apparently believing that the bullet would not make it through the volume.


But the high-risk stunt went horribly wrong: The bullet entered Mr. Ruiz’s chest and he died at the scene.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/29/...imes&nl_art=3&nlid=50115975&ref=headline&te=1

The world is going mad. Unbelievable. Beyond nutz. Tragic. Unnecessary. SMH.

 

[Hiandmighty]

Anything new?

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I thought I read that he had done a similar stunt, shooting at a book and the bullet did not penetrate all the way through so he thought it wouldn't again. My questions to those in the know about these kinds of weapons - could he have really shot it at a book and the bullet not penetrated all the way through it? It sure does not sound like it.

 

[borndem]

And some info on the Desert Eagle - the pistol is 10.75 inches long and 6.25 inches high -- just hold your hands that length and width and you will be amazed. It uses .50 caliber ammunition, and each bullet costs from $1.50 -- $2.50 per shot. Essentially a hand-held cannon. (I know nothing about firearms -- I just googled it & found the info.) It weighs 4 1/2 lbs with an empty magazine.

MSRP: $1,793.00

No wonder poor Pedro Luiz died at the scene.

http://www.magnumresearch.com/firearms/magnum-research-desert-eagle-50-ae-stainless.asp

 

[Indy Anna]

I thought I read that he had done a similar stunt, shooting at a book and the bullet did not penetrate all the way through so he thought it wouldn't again. My questions to those in the know about these kinds of weapons - could he have really shot it at a book and the bullet not penetrated all the way through it? It sure does not sound like it.

Soon after the shooting, Perez told a sheriff's deputy that it was Ruiz who had been pushing his idea for the video, which was recorded by one camera on the back of a parked vehicle and another on a ladder, according to the complaint. He had shown her another book that he had shot and the bullet didn't go all the way through, the charging document continued.

"Perez stated that she shot from about a foot away while [Ruiz] held the book to his chest," the complaint read.

<snip> http://www.startribune.com/minnesot...friend-in-fame-seeking-video-prank/431313063/

BBM Perhaps in the first stunt Ruiz:

1. Used a different gun (article states he owned many) and wasn't familiar with the differences
2. Used a thicker book and stood much further away

Are there any other variables? E.g., does the bullet always exit the chamber at the same speed?

Why couldn't he have continued shooting at books without having someone stand on the other side of it?! I wonder where he placed the first book--against a tree, on the ground, etc. IMO, he was too immature to own even one gun.

</snip>

 

[borndem]

Indy Anna -- Another question to add to your
"Are there any other variables? E.g., does the bullet always exit the chamber at the same speed?"

Would the type of bullet make a difference? Regular i.e., solid (or whatever it is called) vs. hollow-point? (Obviously I know very little about this stuff.)

Your questions are good ones. I hope we can get answers from someone who knows.

 

[Indy Anna]

Indy Anna -- Another question to add to your
"Are there any other variables? E.g., does the bullet always exit the chamber at the same speed?"

Would the type of bullet make a difference? Regular i.e., solid (or whatever it is called) vs. hollow-point? (Obviously I know very little about this stuff.)

Your questions are good ones. I hope we can get answers from someone who knows.

Good question also. I hope, too, someone here can offer some expertise about guns and bullets. I certainly don't know anything about them. I'm thinking Ruiz also knew very little about guns and bullets; he just liked collecting and doing stunts with guns. He may have used a different type of bullet in his first stunt with the book without realizing it would make a difference (if it would).

 

[PrairieWind]

I also had read that part about her saying that he told her had tested this before and the bullet didn't penetrate. With this particular weapon I just find that hard to believe. In general, pistol rounds do not have near the penetrative power that rifle bullets do. However, this is a very powerful handgun and she shot it from only a foot away. So, in my opinion, one, she either made up that story to try to deflect blame from her ("he said it wouldnt go through, I didn't know"), two, he told her that just to get her go along with the stunt, or three, i actually did test it before but some of those variables were different, ie different gun or ammunition, distance, different thickness book, angle etc. But honestly, as a shooter myself, even if all those variables were exactly the same, you'd have to be crazy to try this. You just never know whats going to happen. But the fact that she has been charged, tells me that the police do not believe her story that she honestly didn't think the bullet would penetrate.

This case just really pisses me off for a lot of reasons. As I mentioned, I am shooter and enjoy shooting activities. So it angers me to see people act this irresponsible with firearms. But mostly it makes me mad because these two people had a small child to care for and another on the way. And for absolutely no good reason, they have let those children without a father and quite possibly the mother will go to jail. In one instant of stupidity, the father is dead, the mother is a criminal and the children's lives are forever diminished and damaged.

 

[borndem]

Excellent post, PrairieWind -- it's good to hear from someone who knows about firearms and is a responsible person.

I wonder if Perez had ever seen and/or heard the 50 being fired? It is said to have a helluva kick and said to sound like a cannon. That would have scared me such that I wouldn't even want to hold the pistol. I feel sure that LE would like to talk to Perez about her experience with firearms and with the 50, especially -- if she is willing to talk about it.

A foot away??? Maybe (forgive this) he was so torn up from the shot that she may have said the distance was shorter than it actually was. ??. And yes, maybe the "rehearsal" shoot was with a different weapon.

 

[Meryl12]

Good post PrairieWind.

 

[PrairieWind]

Just a follow up on this story. Monalisa Perez pleaded guilty to 2nd degree manslaughter of her boyfriend and father of her children. She will serve 6 months in jail and 10 years supervised probation and is prohibited from possessing firearms for life. She also may not profit from the video. I would hope that for the childrens' sake, the video is never released at all. But sadly, I am sure some day, somehow, someone will get their hands on it and it will be out.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...stunt/ar-BBH2xhG?li=BBnbfcL&OCID=ansmsnnews11

 

[Perodicticus potto]

Sentence was passed today, and as expected:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...unt-that-went-wrong-monalisa-perez-pedro-ruiz

My heart breaks for everyone involved in this case. I know I'm supposed to rant at their stupidity and make nasty jokes about Darwin Awards, but I don't care. It's a tragedy, pure and simple.