Teenager Killed After 33 Y.O. 'Friend' Fires Gun as 'Party Trick'

When a group of intoxicated teenagers decided to pop in to 33-year-old bricklayer Scott Bruno's pad on Saturday night, he must have thought that showing off his 2nd floor Bensonhurst apartment (and possibly dealing them drugs) wasn't enough to impress the Wantagh teens. So police say that Bruno got out his gun and began firing off some shots at his wall as a "party trick." Then believing that he had removed the magazine from the pistol, Bruno aimed the gun at 17-year-old Philip Levy's head and pulled the trigger. Sadly it wasn't empty and Levy (pictured) would die soon after being shot. Bruno is now being held without bail on manslaughter and weapons charges; he has a prior conviction for a DUI in 2006. Levy's mother, who only knew her son was going out with friends Saturday, told Newsday that the MacArthur HS senior was a history buff and had "a passionate interest" in the 9/11 attacks. She said, "He was always cracking us up. He could have been in the theater." Bruno's legal aid attorney insisted in court today that the shooting was an accident and called it a "quirky" case.

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By Billy Parker in News on June 15, 2009 5:16 PM

Comments [rss]

Deena Avicolli

THIS HONESTLY MAKES ME SICK, TRAGEDY FOR BOTH SIDES? NAH, TRAGEDY FOR ONE SIDE, OUR SIDE, PHILS SIDE. HE TOOK CARE OF HIS MOTHER, AND DESERVED A LONG, FULL LIFE. HE DIDNT EVEN GET TO TURN 18 AND GRADUATE WITH ALL OF US LIKE HE SHOULDVE. "TRAGEDY FOR BOTH SIDES" THATS COMPLETE BULLSHIT. THE ONLY TRAGEDY IS THAT A FUCKIN 33 YEAR OLD "MAN" COULD BE SO IMMATURE. I WAS TAUGHT TO NEVER WISH BAD UPON ANYONE, BUT SCOTT BRUNO DESERVES NOTHIN MORE THAN TO ROT IN THAT JAIL AFTER PUTTING ALL OF US WHO KNEW PHIL THROUGH SOMETHIN SO TERRIBLE AND TAKIN AWAY THE LIFE OF A TRULY AMAZING PERSON.

cocorageous

This is a true tragedy for both parties, their families and friends. As a personal friend of Mr. Bruno... wreckless,irresponsible and just plain stupid may have been his actions on this particular occasion, but this was an awful mistake. Mr. Bruno is a loving person with a warm heart and would NEVER intentionally harm anyone. Especially not a child!!!

Deena Avicolli

FUCK YOUR FRIEND BRUNO HE KILLED ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS THAT DAY.

sexisicilian

What the fuck is "quirky" about a "grown" man showing off a gun in front of young boys, not even knowing if it is loaded or not. He should get life without parole!!

r1b2

Pointing a gun at someone else? NEVER FUNNY, ASSHOLE.

books

was the gun legal. In NYC? what a fck, he should do 20 years at least.

Gnomie

Oh yeah, when a teenager gets shot in the head the word quirky is definitely what comes to mind

Shinobi Shaw

What a waste of life, truly an idiot moron.

TrippinJoJo

"Quirky" ???????

what the fuck?

Rocknrope

God, what a damn tragedy. Killed by an idiot loser who doesn't even know that a round can be in the chamber even if you remove the magazine.

Funny how you need to take a test for a driver's license, but not a firearm.