A review of medical examiner records yielded data on 19 men and one
woman who died playing Russian roulette. The men differed significantly
from 95 male suicide victims who died of gunshot wounds to the head on
several variables including age, race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship,
marital status, living situation, health, and the likelihood of the death
being witnessed. The Russian roulette victims were significantly less
likely to die in the bedroom, die in the morning, leave a suicide note, and
be depressed but were significantly more likely to have alcohol or drugs in
their body fluids and to have a previous history of drug and alcohol
abuse.Abstract Teaser