17-year old Chicago boy shoots self in groin

A 17-year old boy in Chicago, Illinois, was cruising with some friends when a loaded gun he had in his lap discharged, hitting him in the groin.  At first he claimed he had been shot by others, but later confessed to unintentionally shooting himself.

The boy had gang affiliations.

From an article:

A 17-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound Friday night when the gun he was handling accidentally went off and struck him in the groin as he cruised on the Northwest Side with his female friends. 

The boy, who has gang affiliations, first told officers that he was shot by two masked men who jumped out of a van in the 3300 block of North Harlem Avenue, police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said. 

But Area North detectives canvassed the area, and could come up with no evidence or witnesses to such an incident. “They spoke to him and he changed his account repeatedly,” Mirabelli said. “Eventually he admitted the truth,” and told detectives that “he accidentally discharged the firearm.” 

The weapon had accidentally went off as he handled the gun, injuring the teenage Elmwood Park resident, who was riding in a vehicle with some female acquaintances around Harlem and Belmont avenues, Mirabelli said. 

The gun discharged in his lap and he suffered a gunshot wound to the left groin area, Mirabelli said. 

The boy was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where his condition was stable, police said. 

It was not yet known as of Saturday morning what charges, if any, the boy faces.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.