Two friends agree to shoot each other in head while wearing kevlar helmets — and one now charged wit

[mystery-ak]

 Two friends agree to shoot each other in head while wearing kevlar helmets — and one now charged with murder
By Shane Galvin   
Published Aug. 30, 2025, 9:43 p.m. ET

Two pals took turns shooting each other in the head with a rifle while wearing kevlar helmets inside a home — with one man now being charged with the other’s murder, according to authorities.

Sean O’Donnell, 37, was taken into custody at his home in Houston, Texas, on Aug. 17, in connection to the shooting death of Aaron Prout, 34, a native of the UK, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.


Sean O’Donnell, 37, charged with murder after shooting his
friend in the head. Harris County Sheriff's Office

The two pals were inside O’Donnell’s home — firing at each other with a rifle while wearing the bullet-resistant helmets when Prout was seriously injured by the gunfire.

The British man was transported to an area hospital where he died from his injuries, according to the sheriff. It was not clear eactly why he died while wearing the helmet, though the headwear is not supposed to provide 100% protection.

“Hard to believe two, so-called friends, would take turns shooting at each other wearing a kevlar helmet, inside a house in a residential neighborhood, while using a rifle,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez wrote.

Officials did not announce the type of rifle or how far away the two were from each other while taking the tragic target practice.

O’Donnell was charged with murder on Thursday and is currently booked in the Harris County Jail, according to the sheriff.

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https://nypost.com/2025/08/30/us-news/two-friends-shooting-each-other-in-head-while-wearing-kevlar-helmets-has-predictably-sad-result-sheriff/

[mystery-ak]

Does this qualify for a *Hold My Beer* alert?

[GtHawk]

Does this qualify for a *Hold My Beer* alert?

I don’t know, but it certainly qualifies for

[Wingnut]

I don’t know, but it certainly qualifies for

Here is a case where stupid did hurt!

[Sighlass]

They made it sound like they took turns ? Did the helmet work and fragments deflect and hit the Brit with 10 years of service in the Royal Navy? Surely they knew that even if the helmet stopped the initial bullet the fragment could still kill, even if only 22 caliber.

Sounds like mystery-ak is right... it was a "hold my beer" moment gone wrong with guys that should of known better.

[Free Vulcan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMpW2dBeeUg

[Kamaji]

Wow.  The stupid was thick with these two.

[roamer_1]

Does this qualify for a *Hold My Beer* alert?

Nope... Not a redneck in sight... Which is really, really strange, I admit. 

[DB]

Stupid has consequences...

[240B]

Have seen many reports of people shooting each other while wearing bulletproof vests.
From what I see it is fairly common.

What these geniuses do not know is that even if the vest stops the bullet from penetration, you can still get broken ribs, internal damage, and internal bleeding. Depending on the round and where/how you get hit, you can still die from being hit even with a vest. The vest is NOT like a force field on Star Trek. Nope.

You still get shot. The projectile is prevented (usually) from entering the body, but you still get the force of the impact.

But the bigger issue is lack of respect. No one should ever think of guns as fun, or like toys. Anytime anyone begins 'playing' with guns, somebody is going to get hurt.

[mystery-ak]

Nope... Not a redneck in sight... Which is really, really strange, I admit. 

Oops...I didn't know you had to be a redneck too!

[Smokin Joe]

Protection degrades with multiple impacts, and there is only so much helmet to hit. At some point, penetration is inevitable.

[DB]

Protection degrades with multiple impacts, and there is only so much helmet to hit. At some point, penetration is inevitable.

I believe most body armor fails when hit by a .30-06 rifle round. A handgun is one thing, a high-powered rifle is something else...

[Smokin Joe]

I believe most body armor fails when hit by a .30-06 rifle round. A handgun is one thing, a high-powered rifle is something else...

It depends on the armor, and the type.
Soft armor (Lever IIIa) will stop most pistols, then you get into ceramic and steel plates going up to level IV.
This level IV plate claims to stop the M2 (armor piercing, black tip) .30-06 round.

https://www.spartanarmorsystems.com/hercules-level-iv-ceramic-body-armor-set-of-two/

But yes, most body armor fails that. 7.62X25 (Tokarev) and 5.7 (FN 5.7) rounds can be a problem, too.

[GtHawk]

Nope... Not a redneck in sight... Which is really, really strange, I admit. 

But still a winner of…

[roamer_1]

But still a winner of…

  That's right. 

[Smokin Joe]

Actually, this reaches Darwin Award territory.

[verga]

Stupid is as stupid does.