MOSCOW, June 22 (RIA Novosti) - A man has died after a friend accidentally shot him with an air gun at a cemetery in Russia's second city of St. Petersburg.

Police found the 38-year-old man with a gunshot wound in his head on Saturday. He died in hospital hours later without regaining consciousness, local media reported.

The accident reportedly occurred when the man was fooling around with an air gun at the cemetery with two friends, aged 34 and 36.

Having fired three shots, one of the men, forgetting one round remained, jokingly held the pistol to his friend's head and pulled the trigger.

The shooter was later detained by police. A criminal case could be opened in connection with the accident.