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Rockaway teenager killed in handgun accident: Cops

By Alex Davidson

A 16-year-old was accidentally shot in the chest and killed Saturday afternoon by two friends who were apparently handling a gun they did not know was loaded, police said.

Cops said they arrived on the scene at 22-17 Collier Ave. in Far Rockaway and found Delano Samuels, of 32-23 Plunkett Ave. in Rockaway, with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to St. John's Episcopal Hospital in Elmhurst where he later died, police said.

Two other teenagers were arrested and charged in connection with the incident, police said. Julian Outcalt, 18, of 31-14 Healey Ave. was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, while an unidentified 14-year-old was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and manslaughter.

Outcalt was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court Monday and was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail. On the same day, the 14-year-old was taken to a city juvenile detention center pending a Thursday arraignment after a hearing was held in Family Court in Jamaica.

The 14-year-old will be prosecuted by the City Corporation Counsel, not Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, because of his age.

Police said neither of the two teenagers fled the scene after the incident. The gun used in the incident was a .380 semiautomatic pistol, cops said.

Delano was a junior at Far Rockaway High School.

Cops did not give further details as to how the three teenagers were able to gain access to a loaded weapon and the circumstances of why they were together. They were also unable to comment on whether there was a motive for the shooting.

A funeral service for Delano will be held Friday at Jeremiah C. Gaffney's Funeral Home in Far Rockaway. He will be buried at Amityville Cemetery in Amityville, L.I.

Reach reporter Alex Davidson by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.