Pedro Ruiz III, 22, and his girlfriend Monalisa Perez, 19, had a YouTube channel that they were putting a lot of effort into. The channel, filled with prank videos and challenge videos, shows what appears to be a normal, happy, young couple vying for Internet fame. However, on June 26, there was a tragic accident while filming another prank video for their channel, according to Twin Cities Pioneer Press. The Halstad, Minn. couple was filming a prank where Perez, who is pregnant with their second child, shot a gun at Ruiz III, who was holding a book. The book was supposed to stop the bullet from hitting Ruiz III, however, that was not how it went down. The bullet went through the book, killing Ruiz III.

Perez tweeted before the incident that Ruiz III was the one who convinced her to perform the stunt.

Me and Pedro are probably going to shoot one of the most dangerous videos ever😳😳 HIS idea not MINE🙈 — Monalisa Perez (@MonalisaPerez5) June 26, 2017

According to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press, Perez said that Ruiz III produced a book that he had used to test the prank and showed her that the bullet was stopped by the book.

Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports that Perez told police officer who responded to the 911 call that Ruiz III came up with the prank to try to get more followers on their YouTube channel. Their 3-year-old daughter was a witness to the accident. First responders attempted life-saving procedures when they arrived at the scene but it was too late for Ruiz III, who died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Perez has been arrested and is being charged with second-degree manslaughter. The New York Times reports that Perez faces up to 10 years in prison, a $20,000 fine, or both for the death of Ruiz III. She is currently out on bail.





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