WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A West Palm Beach woman is under arrest after police said she "carelessly" shot and killed her roommate while showing her a handgun.
Susan Russell, 69, was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail late Tuesday on a negligent manslaughter charge.
According to Russell's arrest report, the investigation started on May 16 when Russell called 911 just after 9:15 p.m. She was "upset and out of breath" and told a dispatcher, "I need the [EXPLETIVE] paramedics, I accidentally shot my roommate!" the report said.
Paramedics arrived at Russell's home on Avon Road and found Ninoshka Almengor, 28, with a gunshot wound to her chest.
Almengor was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, where she was pronounced dead.
According to the arrest report, Russell was questioned by investigators hours later and said she had found her Taurus pistol inside a piece of luggage while she was packing for a trip, and Almengor had "allegedly asked to hold the pistol."
Russell told police she thought the gun was unloaded because the magazine wasn't inside it, then handed the weapon to Almengor and "in the process pulled the trigger of the firearm" and shot her roommate in the chest.
The arrest report said Russell told detectives, "One stupid mistake of not making sure the [EXPLETIVE] chamber was empty when you thought it was, that’s all, double check!"
West Palm Beach police said the investigation determined that a Taurus pistol will still fire even without a magazine inserted.
Russell's arrest report said "she carelessly pulled the trigger on a firearm which was pointed directly at Ms. Almengor" and "the death was not an excusable homicide."
In court on Wednesday, a judge set Russell's bond at $30,000 and ordered her to have no contact with Almengor's family or any witnesses in the case, as well as no access to weapons.
