Lake County, IL – A juvenile accidentally shot himself in the leg in Lake County, with authorities later uncovering discarded firearms in a nearby dumpster.
The incident, occurring on April 6, 2024, involved Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responding to a report in unincorporated Mundelein on West Rose Avenue around 2:50 p.m. They discovered a 17-year-old boy with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his left leg, initially attributed to an alleged drive-by shooting. However, the investigation quickly unraveled the truth; the teen had accidentally shot himself while handling a firearm.
Initially, the juvenile claimed he and two friends were targeted by someone in a vehicle, a story disproven by deputies’ diligent investigation. This led to the discovery of two firearms discarded near a dumpster, associated with the teenager and his friends, who had fled the scene post-accident.
The teenager received medical attention for his injuries, and the incident remains under investigation, with potential criminal charges pending.
