9-Year-Old Boy Shoots and Critically Injures Teen in Chicago's Fuller Park

Chicago police are investigating a shooting on the city's South Side after a 9-year-old boy allegedly shot and critically injured a 13-year-old boy Friday afternoon.

The incident happened at a residence in the Fuller Park area, according to authorities.

Police said the younger child fired a gun, striking the teenage victim. The 13-year-old suffered critical injuries and was taken for medical treatment.

The circumstances surrounding how the children obtained access to the firearm and what led to the shooting remain under investigation.

The incident has again highlighted concerns about firearm access and safety in homes where children may be present.

Authorities are expected to examine the events leading up to the shooting as part of their investigation. Because the people involved are children, the case also presents complex legal and child-safety considerations.

The shooting occurred during the afternoon on Chicago's South Side, bringing police and emergency responders to the neighborhood.

Residents in the area were left confronting another serious act of gun violence involving young people.

Investigators will need to establish where the firearm came from, how the children came into contact with it and whether any adults could face consequences depending on the circumstances.

The case remains under investigation, and additional information may be released by Chicago police as detectives continue working to establish the full sequence of events.