A 20-year-old died when he put a gun to his head while joking with others and the gun went off, according to Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler.Fowler said Tezlar Wayne Ross was killed while playing with a gun at his home on New Year’s Eve.“Witnesses reported Ross and three others were in his bedroom looking at a .380 handgun about 6:30 p.m. when the incident occurred. Ross reportedly took the clip out of the gun and placed it to his head joking with the others when it discharged,” Fowler said. Ross was pronounced dead at the scene.“This is certainly a tragic way to end the year. Guns are not toys and this is an example of what happens when they are treated as such and not respected. My heart breaks for this family,” Fowler said.

A 20-year-old died when he put a gun to his head while joking with others and the gun went off, according to Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler.

Fowler said Tezlar Wayne Ross was killed while playing with a gun at his home on New Year’s Eve.


“Witnesses reported Ross and three others were in his bedroom looking at a .380 handgun about 6:30 p.m. when the incident occurred. Ross reportedly took the clip out of the gun and placed it to his head joking with the others when it discharged,” Fowler said.

Ross was pronounced dead at the scene.

“This is certainly a tragic way to end the year. Guns are not toys and this is an example of what happens when they are treated as such and not respected. My heart breaks for this family,” Fowler said.