Teen Playing With Gun Shoots Himself In Groin On NW Side

CHICAGO (STMW) -- A 17-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound Friday night when the gun he was handling as he rode around the Northwest Side Dunning neighborhood with some female friends went off and struck him in the groin.

The boy had earlier told police that he was shot by two masked men in the 3300 block of North Harlem Avenue.

The shooting happened about 7:20 p.m. on that block, police said.

The 17-year-old Elmwood Park resident was in a vehicle with some female acquaintances, riding around the area of Harlem and Belmont avenues, handling a gun, according to police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.

The gun accidentally 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.

The boy, who has gang affiliations, according to police, "initially told police there were two masked offenders who jumped out of a dark van and shot at him," 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," Mirabelli said, and told detectives that "he accidentally discharged the firearm."

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