(KCEN) -- The Fort Hood soldier accused of accidentally shooting and killing his friend to rid him of the hiccups was sentenced to 42 months in jail.
Spc. Patrick Myers plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter at a court martial at Fort Hood. The military judge heard evidence from the case and sentenced Myers to be reduced to the rank of Private, to forfeit all pay allowances, be imprisoned for 42 months and to receive a bad conduct discharge.
The shooting happened in September of 2012 at an apartment in Killeen while Myers and two friends were watching a football game and drinking alcohol. The victim got the hiccups at some point and Myers pointed the gun at the victim to scare the hiccups out of him.
Myers believed the gun had dummy rounds in it and pulled the trigger.
The gun was filled with live bullets. The victim, who was a fellow soldier, was shot in the face and died shortly after.
Myers is in the Bell County Jail awaiting transfer to a military prison.
