16-year old Massachusetts boy unintentionally shoots himself with illegal gun

A 16-year old boy was in a Fitchburg, Massachusetts apartment with two men when he was handling the men's handgun.  He then unintentionally shot himself in the abdomen.

The gun was illegally owned by the men, who were trying to flee with the gun when police arrived.

The boy will likely survive the wound.

From an article:

The 16-year-old boy shot himself in the abdomen at around 4 p.m. Sunday at an apartment complex, said Fitchburg Deputy Police Chief Philip Kearns. An investigation revealed the incident was an accident, he said. 

When officers responded to the scene, one noticed Luis Robles, 25, and Efrain Molina, 24, both of Fitchburg, in a car quickly backing out of a nearby driveway, Kearns said. In their possession was the gun used by the teen. 

“Somebody was trying to get the gun away before police showed up,” Kearns said. “After some investigation, it is believed Mr. Robles put the gun in the car so Mr. Molina could drive it away.” 

Molina, the driver, and Robles, the passenger, were placed under arrest. Molina and Robles’s connection with the victim is not yet clear, though they weren’t strangers, Kearns said. 

Molina and Robles are charged with illegal possession of a firearm and will be arraigned Tuesday at Fitchburg District Court. Kearns said it’s likely the two could face additional charges, such as improper firearm storage. 

The 16-year-old is still recovering at Worcester’s UMass Medical Center with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, Kearns said.

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