Trial date set in teen shooting death

PALMER -- Shane Hara

pat, the 16-year-old Palmer youth who allegedly shot and killed his best friend, is scheduled to face trial for second-degree murder on

Sept. 15.

Harapat entered a plea of not guilty Monday during arraignment in Palmer Superior Court. He also is charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in connection with the Feb. 5 death of Kenneth Alcantra.

Alcantra, 16, of Wasilla, was in Harapat's home when the shooting occurred. He allegedly was shot in the shoulder by a .44-caliber revolver that Harapat had been playing with. The victim died at the scene.

The courtroom was filled with relatives and friends of both boys' families for Harapat's arraignment before Judge Eric Smith. The judge set Aug. 1 as the date for a pre-trial conference to discuss the status of the case.

Defense attorney Jeff Carney hinted that a plea bargain may keep the case from reaching trial.

"There is a really good chance this case will be resolved" before then, Carney told Smith.

Harapat, a former member of Palmer High's rifle team, remained free on his own recognizance. He made the 911 call after the shooting, although his parents and sister were also in the home at the time.

Alcantra's father, Joseph, took a seat next to assistant district attorney Richard Payne during Monday's proceedings. Smith told him he had a right to speak if he wished, but Alcantra did not make a statement during the court session.

Outside the courtroom, however, he wept and described the accident as "stupid," something that changed two families' lives in an instant.

"He took something very valuable from us that we'll never have again," Alcantra said of Harapat, while still declining to condemn the youth. He confirmed that the two boys had been

best friends.

Alcantra said he didn't learn of the shooting until he drove from his house in Wasilla to the Harapats' home in Palmer about 11:15 p.m. on Feb. 5 to check up on his son. When he saw evidence of a crime scene, he knew something was wrong.

Alcantra remains bitter that no law enforcement officials called him to report the shooting.

"We were 10 miles away in our home," he said. "It took them four hours to

notify us."