Gun play turns deadly
Elkhorn man dies in Russian roulette game
"We’ve talked with (Gary) Fisher (a witness) at
length and his story seems to be consistent."
Cam Daggett, Sun Valley police Chief
By GREG MOORE
Express Staff Writer
A 38-year-old Elkhorn man killed himself Saturday with
what was reported to be the third trigger pull in a game of Russian
roulette.
According to the Sun Valley Police Department, Douglas J.
Brown was pronounced dead at St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center with a
.357 gunshot wound to his head.
Police received a 911 call on the incident at 5:30 p.m.
from Gary Fisher, 28, the resident of an Elkhorn Village condominium. Sun
Valley police Chief Cam Daggett said Fisher told police he and Brown had
been playing Russian roulette at the residence with Brown’s revolver.
Daggett said evidence analyzed so far is consistent with
Fisher’s story. No charges have been filed against Fisher.
Daggett said Fisher reported one bullet had been placed in
the gun’s chamber. Fisher spun the barrel, put the gun to his head and
pulled the trigger once. Daggett said Fisher told police the barrel was
spun again after his turn and that Brown put the gun to his head and
pulled the trigger three times. The gun fired on the third shot. Daggett
declined comment on whether Brown had spun the barrel between the three
times he pulled the trigger.
Daggett said an autopsy was done on Brown’s body by a
forensic pathologist in Boise, accompanied by Blaine County Coroner Russ
Mikel. He said Mikel reported the autopsy indicated Brown’s head wound
was consistent with a self-inflicted shot, due to the angle and proximity
of the gun.
However, he said gun powder residue tests have been done
on the hands of both Fisher and Brown. He said he has not received the
results of those tests.
Daggett said there is no evidence the two men were
drinking before the incident occurred. However, he said police are also
waiting for results of a toxicology report that should determine whether
alcohol was present in Brown’s body.
According to Daggett, Brown had lived in the Wood River
Valley for at least 10 years. He had been working for his brother Mike
Brown’s construction company.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Wood River
Valley Chapel in Hailey.
