An Elmwood Park teen was injured Friday night in what police believe was a self-inflicted shooting, police said.
The 17-year-old boy was in a vehicle with female friends when he was shot at about 7:20 p.m., according to what he told police, said Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.
The boy was at Loyola Hospital in Maywood with a wound to his left groin area when police were called there at 8:15 p.m., Mirabelli said.
Initially, the boy told police he was outside on the 3300 block of North Harlem Avenue at 7:20 p.m. when two men dressed in black and wearing Ninja masks jumped out of a black van, said Mirabelli. The boy initially told police at least one of the men had a semi-automatic handgun and shot him, Mirabelli said.
After police received the information, police went to the alleged shooting scene but could not find any evidence of the shooting. In addition, the police interviewed potential witnesses and reviewed surveillance video but failed to find any evidence of the attack, Mirabelli said.
After police returned to the hospital, they confronted the teen with their lack of findings. The boy continued to give conflicting information, Mirabelli said.
Eventually, the boy, who has gang ties, told police he was driving in a vehicle with several female friends when he was playing with a gun and it discharged in his lap and struck him.
Medical personnel were also able to determine that the shooting was self-inflicted, Mirabelli said. Officials had said earlier that the bullet had a downward trajectory on its path in his inner thigh.
Officials are also trying to determine where the incident occurred to determine which police agency has jurisdiction to further investigate the matter and determine what charges he would face, Mirabelli said.
The teen's injuries were not considered life-threatening, Mirabelli said.
