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Boy, 3, Shot In Head In Apparent Accident

(CBS) -- A 3-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital Friday evening after an accidental shooting in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, police said.

The incident occurred in a residence in the 4300 block of West Monroe Street around 7:30 p.m.

Police say the boy discovered a gun, which went off while he was handling it. The 3-year-old sustained a head wound.

The weapon was not recovered. Police are searching for the boy's father who they believe ran off with the gun.

Family members identified the boy as James Jenkins Jr.

"My grandson is the sweetest kid you ever want to see," said Neatre Strong, the boy's grandmother. "He's very sweet. He's just an innocent child, an innocent child. I don't know what happened.)

"We have kids and that is something we don't allow," said Ardell Strong, the boy's great uncle. "We didn't allow kids to play with play guns."

Those family members issued a plea for the father to turn himself in to police and help with the ongoing investigation.

The child was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition. He was in surgery late Friday.

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