An attempt to cure the hiccups turns into tragedy at Fort Hood.

A soldier, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, has entered a plea of guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.  Army Specialist Patrick Edward Myers, stated in court that he had accidentally shot his friend, PFC. Isaac Young, while trying to scare away Young’s hiccups.

Myers and Young were watching a football game when the latter became stricken with a case of the hiccups.  Thinking his weapon had dummy rounds in it, Myers fired his gun in an attempt to scare away Young’s hiccups.  However, the weapon was loaded with live rounds and Young was shot and killed.  He was 22-years-old.

Because both the suspect and the victim were soldiers, the case was tried in military court.

According to a statement released by officials at Fort Hood,  Myers was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in military prison, was demoted to Private and will receive a “bad-conduct discharge.”