New details have emerged on the March 16 accidental shooting a three-year-old boy in Chicago.
ABC 7 Chicago reports that the toddler was left home alone with two other children on 6200-block of South Aberdeen Street in “very poor conditions”. Police says that the children were apparently playing game of “cops and robbers” when suddenly, the gun went off before 5pm that Thursday.
He was admitted to Comer Children's Hospital and had surgery that later that night. He remains in critical condition. A local activist by the name of Andrew Holmes tells ABC 7 that his grandmother is by his side.
"We've said it over and over again, guns don't belong in the house with children. If they are in the house, they are supposed to have safety locks on them. I wish that gun had never been in that home in the first place," Holmes said.
The victim’s father, Michael D. Riley, 34, was charged with two felonies, including unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and possession of a controlled substance. He was also hit with four misdemeanor counts of child endangerment as, according to police, the firearm was not properly secure.
After searching the home, police recovered three legally owned guns and a “significant amount” of drugs. He will arrive in court this Saturday.
The Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emmanuel, expressed his sympathies and concern for the family of the boy.
"Our sympathies are with the family, the mother and father and all their family, and the other kids, who witnessed something like this. Your heart goes out to everybody. Obviously, I can say this with absolute confidence, the family and the child are in everybody's prayers in the city of Chicago," he said.
Source: abc7chicago.com
