By Associated Press - Sunday, April 26, 2020

A Chicago man was arrested on weapons charges after his 5-year-old son found his handgun and shot himself in the hand, police said

According to the Chicago Tribune, 36-year-old Bernard Shields was asleep early Friday in his South Side home when the boy found the gun in his pants pocket, and took it into a bathroom, where it discharged while he was holding it.

Police said that Shields was arrested after he drove from his house to get rid of the weapon. He was arrested on a host of charges, including being an armed habitual criminal and possessing controlled substances. He was also arrested on misdemeanor counts of unlawful use of a weapon, possession of ammunition without a valid firearms owners identification card, violating an order of protection and causing a child to e endangered.



Shields was taken into custody and a judge was expected to set his bond on Sunday.

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