A 19-year-old Virginia woman has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after her partner was fatally shot during what investigators described as a consensual game of “Russian roulette” involving firearms as foreplay. The incident occurred in Virginia Beach on March 5.
Ember McSpadden is accused of pulling the trigger of a partially loaded handgun multiple times while counting clicks before the weapon discharged, striking 26-year-old Shane Brooks in the neck. According to court documents and testimony, Brooks had allegedly handed McSpadden the handgun, which contained one live round, as the pair engaged in foreplay.
Virginia Beach police received a report of a shooting around 1:09 a.m. Officers responding to the scene found Brooks with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the location. Investigators later discovered seven firearms in the room, including two revolvers on the bed. One of these revolvers was identified as the weapon used in the shooting and had one cartridge in the chamber.
McSpadden, a Virginia Beach resident, was arrested and charged. During a preliminary hearing, a judge found sufficient evidence for the involuntary manslaughter charge to proceed to a grand jury. McSpadden’s attorney stated that the death was a tragic accident that her client neither intended nor foresaw.
Brooks, a lifelong Virginia Beach resident, served in the Virginia National Guard for approximately a decade and completed a nine-month tour in Iraq. He was also remembered as a marathon runner, licensed pilot, and outdoorsman.
Brooks’ family has stated they did not consider McSpadden to be his girlfriend and were unaware of her. They are seeking justice for Shane Brooks.
McSpadden, who was out on bond, is scheduled for her next court appearance on Oct. 21. She faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years if convicted.