Follow-up hearing set in 'Russian roulette'-style shooting

ST. LOUIS -- A prosecutor says there has been no grand jury decision on whether to charge a St. Louis police officer accused of killing a female colleague while playing a variation of Russian roulette.

Judge Thomas McCarthy asked during a hearing Monday whether there was a grand jury indictment against officer Nathaniel Hendren in the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of officer Katlyn Alix. Told "no" by an assistant prosecutor, McCarthy scheduled a follow-up hearing for April 29.

Prosecutors say Hendren and Alix had been drinking and took turns pointing a gun loaded with one bullet at each other and pulling the trigger. Alix died of a chest wound.

Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner charged Hendren with involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action, but significant St. Louis cases typically go to grand juries to decide whether charges are warranted. However, grand jury proceedings are secret, so it's unknown whether one is even considering the case.

A spokeswoman for Gardner declined to comment. Hendren's attorney did not return an email message.