A Chicago man has been charged with child endangerment after his three-year-old son was shot and killed by his six-year-old brother while the two were playing, police said on Sunday.
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Chicago police said the toddler was shot around 9:05pm on Saturday and carried to a hospital by a relative.
Michael Santiago was arrested and charged as he knowingly stored a loaded firearm in a fridge, in reach of his children.
Later, he was moved to Mt. Sinai Children’s Hospital and pronounced dead. The medical examiner’s office identified the boy as Eian H. Santiago.
Chicago PD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says that 25-year-old Michael Santiago told investigators that he was a former gang member and felt he needed the gun to protect his family. Guglielmi said the gun was not legally registered.
Santiago’s public defender asked the judge to consider a lower bond. She added that Santiago is the family’s primary source of income, working 6 days a week as a manager at Papa Ray’s Pizza.
Brown set bail at $75,000.
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“This is what happens when people have guns who shouldn’t have guns”, he said.
