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Antioch Man Shot Himself To Get Sympathy, Reported It As Drive-Dy: Police

ANTIOCH, Ill. (STMW) -- A north suburban Antioch man who allegedly shot himself in the arm and then told police he was injured in a drive-by shooting earlier this week was charged with three felony offenses on Wednesday, including aggravated unlawful use of a firearm, the News-Sun is reporting.

Antioch Police report Colin Henderson, 18, was also charged with filing a false police report and possession of a firearm without a Firearm Owner's Identification Card in connection with the Nov. 25 incident.

According to reports, officers responded to Henderson's residence on the 300 block of Park Avenue Monday morning in reference to a call about shots fired. Reports state that Henderson, who was wounded in his left triceps, told police that "he had been shot in his arm by an unknown subject who had driven away in a 1990s blue Ford Taurus-style vehicle."

Police report Henderson was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for the injury, which was described as non-life threatening. During a conversation at the hospital, police report, Henderson allegedly gave investigators "contradicting information concerning the incident."

"After Henderson was released from the hospital," reports state, "he provided a post-Miranda statement in which he admitted to shooting a .22 Jennings pistol outside his apartment and then going into his bedroom and shooting himself in the left triceps to get attention. Henderson did not shoot himself in an effort to end his life."

Investigators reportedly found a .22 Jennings pistol and ammunition inside Henderson's residence. Police report Henderson appeared in bond court on Nov. 26 and was ordered held on $25,000 bond. His next scheduled court date was set for Dec. 3.

Antioch Police Chief Craig Somerville said in a statement: "Henderson went to great lengths to minimize his injuries and fabricate an elaborate story to tell police. "

"We tried everything to prove the case, but all the evidence was leaning toward this did not happen the way it was being reported," Somerville said. "Confronted with the evidence, Henderson confessed to the lie, and said he did it as a way to convince family members that someone was trying to kill him so they would feel sorry for him and continue to support him."

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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