Student fatally shot by friend as they examined gun in Copiague home, cops say

A high school student was fatally shot by his teenage friend Friday afternoon as they examined a handgun inside a Copiague home, Suffolk police said.

Wilson Gil-Torres, 18, was shot once in the chest shortly before 12:20 p.m. inside Nefi Reyes’ home on Great Neck Road, and he died at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, police said.

Reyes, also 18 and the owner of the gun, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, police said.

The two had gathered with another friend near the front door to the suspect’s home and were handling the weapon when it discharged, police said.

“We’re interviewing all the people who we think were at the scene,” said Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer, head of the homicide squad.

Reyes, who is believed responsible for firing the shot, called police, police said.

Homicide detectives remained at the scene in the early evening to gather evidence on what may be an accidental discharge of the gun. Photos from the scene showed investigators going in and out of a two-story home.

A spokeswoman for the Copiague school district said district schools were briefly placed on a “modified lockdown” until 1 p.m., after police informed district officials of “a crime” in the area.

The incident occurred about 21⁄2 blocks south of Copiague Middle School and about a quarter-mile west of Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School.

Reyes was to be held overnight and was scheduled for arraignment Saturday at First District Court in Central Islip.

With John Valenti