5-Year-Old Critically Shot by 8-Year-Old Relative in Joliet Home

A 5-year-old boy is in critical condition after being shot in the abdomen at a home in the 500 block of Dover Street in Joliet, Illinois. Authorities say an 8-year-old relative obtained a handgun stored in a bedroom and shot the younger child while both were under the care of a family member. The boy was initially taken to St. Joseph Medical Center and was airlifted to University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital for treatment. Police have recovered the firearm and interviewed all parties involved, including the 8-year-old shooter, and notified the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The investigation is ongoing, with no charges filed or arrests made at this time, and police urge anyone with information to come forward. The circumstances of how the 8-year-old accessed the gun and whether the shooting was accidental remain unclear.