8-Year-Old Injured With Self-Inflicted Gunshot; 3 People Found Hiding In Crawl Space Of Home
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Merrillville 8-year-old was injured by a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Christmas Eve, police said.
Shortly before 10 p.m., police responded to Methodist Hospital where the child was a walk-in with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the leg.
According to police, the incident happened in the 5800 block of Van Buren Street in Merrillville but was never reported to police or medics.
Someone who lives at the home allowed officers to search the home to check for other victims, collect the firearm used and take photographs. Officers then found three people hiding in the crawl space. Two of those people had active warrants and were taken into custody.
Police say the gunshot appears to be accidental after the child found an unattended gun in the house.
Someone at the house was taken into custody and charges are pending.
The Indiana Department of Child Services was also notified and is conducting its own investigation, police said.
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