CHICAGO — A 12-year-old boy was critically injured on the South Side after an acquaintance of his was handling a gun and it accidentally went off, according to police.
The shooting happened at an apartment complex on the 3500 block of South Rhodes Avenue just before 7 p.m. Thursday. The juvenile was handling the gun when it went off, striking the 12-year-old boy in the chest. When the gun went off, police said the juvenile fled the scene.
The boy was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital where he is still recovering as of early Friday morning.
The juvenile, who was not a relative of the boy, was released to his family and no charges are pending.
Police have not said who owns the gun.
According to figures released Monday, at least 90 children have been shot in Chicago this year — up 6% from this time last year.