17-year-old boy dies in front of friends playing one-man game of Russian roulette

  • Cruisito Leiba was hanging out with other teenagers in Pueblo, Colorado, when he loaded a single bullet into a revolver
  • He pulled the trigger around three times before the gun went off
  • When officers arrived he was still alive but died later in hospital
  • Police are warning other children and adults not to play the 'game', saying 'it will kill you' 

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 18:49 EST, 30 July 2015 | Updated: 01:56 EST, 31 July 2015

A teenager has died in Colorado after playing a game of Russian roulette while hanging out with his friends. 

Cruisito Leiba, 17, suffered a single gunshot wound to the head, said the Pueblo County Coroner's office.

His friends said the teen had been playing with a shotgun when he fired it. He died in hospital.

Cruisito Leiba, 17 (seen in a Facebook picture) was hanging with friends in north-east Pueblo in Colorado when he shot himself while playing with a gun

Cruisito Leiba, 17 (seen in a Facebook picture) was hanging with friends in north-east Pueblo in Colorado when he shot himself while playing with a gun

Other teens told police he kept pulling the trigger
Several other teens were at the home when the incident happened

Other teens told police he kept spinning the cylinder, pointing the gun at his head and pulling the trigger

Several other teens were at the home when the incident happened but Leiba was the only one playing Russian roulette.

'He shot it once, nothing happened,' his friend Selena Aguila told CBS Denver. 'He shot it twice, nothing happened. Then, he shot it the third time and we heard a big bang.' 

When officers arrived Leiba was still breathing. He was taken to hospital, where he passed away.

Capt. Kenny Rider told KRDO: 'This game is absolutely dangerous. It will kill you. And we do not want any kids playing this game, or adults.'

When officers arrived, he was still alive, but badly injured. He was taken to hospital, where he later died

When officers arrived, he was still alive, but badly injured. He was taken to hospital, where he later died

Friends and family have set up this candle-filled tribute to the tragic teenager, who lived in Pueblo

Friends and family have set up this candle-filled tribute to the tragic teenager, who lived in Pueblo

Cruisito's father had a strong message at the vigil, saying about gunplay: 'You play it once, you're done'

Cruisito's father had a strong message at the vigil, saying about gunplay: 'You play it once, you're done'

He added: 'Everybody verified or confirmed that this juvenile who died had been playing that game, had spun the cylinder and pulled the trigger at least four times before it actually fired.'

Police haven't recovered the gun used in the shooting. 

The other teenagers at the house told police  kept spinning the cylinder, pointing the gun at his head and pulling the trigger, over and over.

'We were upstairs and heard a loud bang… ran outside, I was like, "Someone call 911,''' said Leiba's friend Evalina Byrd. 

At a vigil for Leiba, his grieving father said about gunplay: 'You play it once, you're done.'

Leiba's death prompted Capt. Kenny Rider of Colorado police to say: 'This game is absolutely dangerous. It will kill you. And we do not want any kids playing this game, or adults'

Leiba's death prompted Capt. Kenny Rider of Colorado police to say: 'This game is absolutely dangerous. It will kill you. And we do not want any kids playing this game, or adults'

Only Cruisito was playing Russian roulette
Leiba in a Facebook photo

Police said several other teens were at the home when the incident happened but only Leiba was playing Russian roulette

 Game over: Leiba loaded a single bullet into a revolver and started playing Russian roulette

 Game over: Leiba loaded a single bullet into a revolver and started playing Russian roulette

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