A 15-year-old boy has accidentally killed shot himself while playing with a loaded gun at his friend’s home Wednesday night. The incident occurred inside a home on Williams Street around 8 p.m.
The teenager, identified by his family as Derek Cosme of Glen Cove, was in the kitchen with two of his friends when he got his hands on an unsecured handgun, Nassau police said.
According to the officers, Derek was waiting for his mom and aunt to pick him up when the gun went off and killed him shortly after.
Officials said the gun’s owner has a legal permit for the firearm. While neighbors said a retired Nassau County corrections officer lives at the home where the tragedy occurred.
The Nassau officials are now investigating to determine if the weapon was not properly secured and if a service weapon was involved in the incident.
The family has already launched a GoFundMe page to offset the funeral expenses. No family should carry such a burden alone,” the page says. “We are asking for help to relieve our family of the stress of these expenses, for all who loved Derek and our family to come together to provide a beautiful ceremony that he deserves.”