27 Sep 2012

Hiccup 'cure' killed, not cured

9:47 pm on 27 September 2012

Authorities in Texas have charged a soldier with manslaughter after he shot dead a fellow soldier in an ill-fated attempt to cure him of hiccups.

The two soldiers - based at the Fort Hood military post - were watching television when Private Isaac Lawrence Young came down with a fit of hiccups, says the BBC.

According to reports, his friend Private Patrick Edward Myers pointed a handgun at his head to scare him out of them.

Private Myers fired one shot, hitting his friend in the eye.

He told police he thought he'd loaded the gun with blank rounds.

Both soldiers had been drinking.