HAMMOND, IN (WGN/CNN) – A 13-year-old in Indiana was playing basketball with his friends when he was hit by a bullet, which police believe was fired in the air to celebrate the Fourth of July.
When the teenager fell on the ground Saturday night, his friends thought he was having a seizure, but after he was rushed to the hospital, emergency room workers realized the 13-year-old had a bullet in his head.
The teen was flown to a hospital in Chicago in critical condition. The boy’s grandmother reports he is not doing well.
“Unfortunately, a lot of times this situation happens where people are firing guns off, celebratory, and those bullets have to come down. They strike vehicles, they strike houses, yards and occasionally, they strike people,” said Lt. Steve Kellogg with the Hammond Police.
Police believe the bullet came from a gun that was fired in the air as a celebration of the Fourth of July holiday. They and the boy’s neighbors hope this serves as a warning to gun owners.
“When you have weapons, it comes with a certain amount of responsibility, and you know, you just can’t be shooting it off at any time because see? Somebody gets hurt,” neighbor Dan Cirullo said.
Police say they are searching for the person who fired the weapon, and that person will be dealt with severely, facing at least charges of criminal recklessness.
“This definitely needs to get out because whoever shot the gun carelessly into the air needs to see that they hurt someone, and this boy might die,” neighbor Julie Macewicz said.
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