Boy, 4, critical after being found shot in head at South Side residence, police say

A 4-year-old boy is hospitalized after being found shot in the head at a South Side residence on Tuesday afternoon.

It happened shortly after 4 p.m. in the 2200 block of East 99th Street in the Jeffrey Manor neighborhood.

Chicago police said they responded to a 911 call from family members. Arriving officers arrived at the residence and found the young boy with a gunshot wound to the head. 

The initial call was conflicting because it was only reported that the child was injured and bleeding, with no mention of him finding a loaded gun and shooting himself. 

By the time investigators arrived, they recovered the weapon the 4-year-old shot himself with. Despite the bullet hitting his head, the child was alert. 

As CPD works to find out who the gun belongs to, the priority is on the boy's recovery.

"I pray the child can recover on every level, not just from the gunshot wound. Who knows what they will carry with them mentally. Who knows what fears and things they shouldn't have to deal with," said Pastor Donovan Price.

The child was taken to Comer Children's Hospital in critical condition.

It's not clear if any other children were in the home at the time of the shooting or just how many, if any, adults were present.

No arrests or charges were announced as of Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday at 8 a.m., crisis workers plan to hand out gun locks to neighbors. 

Area 2 detectives are investigating.