Stillwater Police Investigating Accidental Shooting

Police in Stillwater are still trying to figure out how a man was accidentally shot in the head at a weekend party.

Alex Vierling, 21, was at a party after midnight Sunday in the 500 block of S. West Street. In a news release, Stillwater police state: "Initial reports indicate the shooting occurred when one of the party goers was handling a pistol they thought was a toy."

The gun fired and Alex was hit in the head. The former OSU student was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, just five days before Christmas.

“I remembered that smile,” said Allison McClellam, who attended Stillwater High School with Vierling.

12/22/2014 Related Story: Friend Of Former OSU Student Killed In Shooting Mourns Loss

Right now, Payne County's district attorney won't say whether the gun's owner or the person handling the weapon when it fired will face any charges.

Those who knew Vierling tell News 9 something doesn't seem right with the initial story.

“Why would you want to pull that (gun) out at a party whether it was a toy or real? That doesn't make sense to me,” says McClellam.

Stillwater police are asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward and speak with them.