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Police: 8-Year-Old Accidentally Shoots 5-Year-Old Brother With Uncle's Gun

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man is facing charges after a five year old was shot inside a Ford Heights home Monday morning.

Police say they found several high-powered weapons inside the home.

The shooting happened 11:30 a.m. Monday in the 1100 block of Drexel Avenue in Ford Heights.

Chicago Police say an 8-year-old boy shot accidentally shot his 5-year-old brother while they were playing with their uncle's guns.

An AK-47 shotgun, a dissembled AR-15, and a pistol were allegedly found fully loaded in the home.

Police say the weapons belong to 21-year-old Mikaehl Allen, a legal gun owner.

Mikaehl Allen mug
Allen faces misdemeanor charges for leaving his guns out, carrying penalties of $1,000 and up to one year in jail.

"How could that happen? How could they be so careless?" stated Eula Barner, a neighbor to the family.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office says Allen's nephews, ages 8 and 5, along with a 3-year-old child, went into Allen's bedroom Monday morning. Police say Allen was not home at the time and other adults in the home were sleeping.

The 8-year-old found a 9 millimeter Smith and Wesson Piston stuffed under a mattress and accidentally shot his younger brother, critically injuring him.

"It's just sad," said Barner. "I'm a mom of five and have lived out here in Ford Heights my whole life. These babies are being shot and they are little kids."

Cara Smith from the Cook County Sheriff's Office stated, "This case should serve as a tragic reminder of how important it is to secure fire arms are away from children."

Allen is facing several misdemeanor charges for leaving his guns out, carrying penalties of $1,000 and up to one year in jail.

"I know they've lost him and they've also lost an uncle, so everyone is losing," said Barner.

The five year old boy is in critical condition. CBS 2 is told the boy is paralyzed from the neck down and keeps going in and out of consciousness.

Allen was also charged for having malnourished dogs, which comes with stiffer penalties than the gun charges.

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