Prank gone wrong or a bravery challenge? Call it what you will, but Pedro Ruiz III was tragically killed when entrusting his pregnant girlfriend to shoot him with only an encyclopedia as protection.
Pedro Ruiz III, 22, along with the mother of his child and future child, Monalisa Perez, 20, were avid Youtubers, striving for fame and endless views. Ruiz knew they’d have to do something outrageous to become internet famous, with a subscriber base of just 218, he and his girlfriend had dreams of reaching 300,000 subscribers. However, their video dream of playing out a rookie idea went horribly wrong.
Being a content creator itself is the biggest challenge, as it must be highly creative in producing valuable content. And to Ensure the audience that the content and processes are working the best way possible Ruiz believed that a hardcover prank could grow his audience by believing that a thick encyclopedia would be able to shelter and protect him from a shot fired by a 50-caliber Desert Eagle (one of the most powerful handguns in the world) during the month of June 2017 in Minnesota, USA.
However, Ruiz tragically passed away as a result of the prank. His fiancée, Monalisa can be seen pleading with him in the video not to execute the stunt. But Ruiz insisted saying he was “ready for death.” Clearly underestimated the force of the gunshot as it pierced both his chest and the book.
The 911 dispatcher then received distressing calls from Monalisa stating that their ‘YouTube video had gone wrong.
“I have confidence that my girlfriend will hit the book and not me,” Ruiz said according to the transcript in the video.
But his confidence was shattered as he was hit, widowing his girlfriend who has now pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and will serve 180 days in prison, and separating their three-year-old daughter and newborn son.
The “safe barrier” encyclopedia was marked with a hand-drawn target, the words “Plz Hit Here,” and an arrow pointing at the target’s bulls-eye.
A lot of the videos on Perez and Ruiz’s YouTube account involved practical jokes.
Aaliyah, their three-year-old daughter, was present when the shooting happened, and one can only presume that the event traumatized her. Ruiz and his fiancee were expecting their second child, their son would be born months after the tragic incident. After being found guilty of second-degree manslaughter, Monalisa Perez was permanently barred from owning weapons. She might have faced up to 10 years in prison had she gone to trial and been found guilty.
Fortunately for her, the prosecutor in charge of her case reported that Ruiz’s relatives approved of a plea agreement. The mother of two was given a sentence of 180 days in prison after accepting the bargain, but she was allowed to serve out the first 60 days in 30-day chunks over the following three years.
People that want to become famous or build a fan following are willing to do anything to get their names out there. In the end, this is a depressing story about our fame-seeking culture and the negative effects of a society where everyone is so preoccupied with their online presence.
Watch it here: Youtube/Inside Edition, Youtube/CBS News
Sources: Taphaps, News.sky, Buzzfeednews