A 10-year-old Chicago boy in “mental distress” got a hold of an unsecured gun inside his home and shot at police officers during a SWAT standoff, according to officials.
The pint-sized gunman was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for evaluation after the incident Monday in the Windy City’s Beverly neighborhood.
Cops responded to a home in the 9800 block of South Charles Street around 11:20 a.m. for a call about a child in distress, reported ABC 7 Chicago.
When officers approached the house, they found the boy standing on the porch and pointing a gun at them, police said during an afternoon press conference.
Cops fired non-lethal projectiles at the house, leading the boy to retreat inside, where he allegedly fired four rounds, according to CBS Chicago.
The youngster later went back outside and allegedly fired one shot at the officers.
Because of the shooter’s young age and apparently fragile mental state, officers deployed bean bag rounds and pepper spray to subdue him, police said.
“He’s a child, so that’s what’s in our mind when we have discussions of what’s the next step, so definitely his age and the distress he’s in, very important for any incident but this one in particular because it was very delicate,” Chicago Police Deputy Chief Migdalia Bulnes said.
No officers were injured during the incident, which caused the neighborhood to be placed on a lockdown.
The gun fired during the standoff was legally owned by someone living at the home but it was left unsecured, according to Chicago Alderman Matt O’Shea.
“We have what I would describe as a happy ending, but people just need to be more careful when you’re going to have weapons in homes,” said O’Shea.
Cops are now investigating how the 10-year-old was able to access the gun.
It was not immediately known whether charges would be filed.
SOURCE: New york post
