Actor Mark Ruffalo’s family has issued a statement about the death of his brother Scott, 39, who died in the hospital a week after he was shot in the head at his condominium in Beverly Hills. They thank the public for their support and say that the funeral will be private. There is also a memorial fund set up in his memory.
The former main suspect, a 26 year-old female friend of the victim who turned herself into police on Monday, claims through her lawyer that Scott Ruffalo shot himself while under the influence of drugs and playing Russian Roulette. Shaha Adham was seen seen on surveillance tape entering the victim’s condominium before his death but says she was just stopping by to pick up her car keys when he shoot himself. Her attorney admits that she left the scene shortly afterwards.
“My client was a good friend of the victim and is very sad for the loss of his family. However, she played no role whatsoever in his accidental death,” Richards said.
Shaha Adham, 26, surrendered Monday after Beverly Hills police issued an arrest warrant for attempted murder…
Lt. Tony Lee with the Beverly Hills Police Department said he could not comment on Adham’s story, citing the ongoing criminal investigation.
Police knew to question Adham because she was on surveillance video at Ruffalo’s condominium along with Brian Scofield, 29, a “person of interest” in the case, Richards said.
Scott Ruffalo, a married hairdresser, died late Monday after he was taken off life support, one week after he was found with a gunshot wound to the head in his Beverly Hills condo. He is the kid brother of “You Can Count on Me” star Mark Ruffalo.
“I can confirm that my client was present when Mr. Ruffalo shot himself,” Richards said Tuesday. “She was picking up some keys.”
He said the gun belonged to Ruffalo and that Ruffalo was a known cocaine user who had used drugs and played with guns in the past in front of numerous witnesses.
[From The NY Daily News]
It sounds like a suspicious excuse. There may have been some evidence supporting Adham’s claim that it was a Russian Roulette death as she has been released and cleared by police of all wrongdoing. The other “person of interest,” Adham’s boyfriend Brian Scofield, has also been released. TMZ claims that Scofield was not at the scene and was just the first person Adham called. Another unknown person is said to have been there at the time of the shooting.
Scott Ruffalo was married and worked as a hairdresser. It’s a tragic story no matter how he died and hopefully the family will be able to find some peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Mark Ruffalo is shown at the premiere of Reservation Road on 10/18/07. Credit: Fame
Of course the perps are going to spin whatever wheels they can to avoid a conviction. It depends on the autopsy and whether drugs or whatever are found in Scott’s body, plus the entry of the bullet (a certain entry can only be self-inflicted). So yeah, fuzzy and evasive! Awful thing to happen to Mark and his family. Oh hey, i forgot to mention their mug shots. they’re smirking and looking pretty sure and arrogant. maybe it is just me, but that’s kind of strange, almost like they’re sort of proud to be arrested or something? 😯
How very sad! I just can’t believe that if one of my friends was playing with a gun and accidentally shot himself, that I wouldn’t immediately call 911. Or some sort of help BESIDES my boyfriend.
I think it’s a sad commentary that people are more concerned with covering their own asses instead of doing the right thing.
Uh, if you’re a witness of an accidental death, wouldt you dial 911????
A boy I went to high school with was shot in the head by one of his friends when they were both drugged up beyond belief. He told his friend to shoot him and they were both so high they didn’t realize the consequences. The guy who shot him took off. Scary things happen when you mix drugs and firearms.
If you’re playing Russian Roulette, that’s a pretty clean shot. He would’ve died instantly, not been hospitalized.
I thought he’d been shot in the back of the head? That’s an awfully strange area to be hit if you’re playing Russian Roulette.
Thats fishy as hell
he was playing Russian Roulette alone, when she accidentally came to took her keys? that sounds a bit strange
In response to Because I Say So I have to tell you that in my experience, any time I’ve had a life or death situation presented to me, I’ve frozen with panic. Some people run with panic. Some people stay and do the right thing. It’s not always under your control how your body responds to great shock. So I don’t think it’s necessarily a selfish thing not to call 911, it’s how your body has adapted to survive.
And while I agree the whole thing sounds fishy, I have no training in police investigation or forensics to know. Maybe we can just trust the police on this one?
Elisha: Very good point.
@Wif– I get your point. Mine is: if she had enough presence of mind to call her boyfriend, what stopped her from calling 911?