A Newark NJ man has been charged with weapons offenses after allegedly shooting himself with a handgun.
According to authorities, the suspect accidentally shot himself while walking near the intersection of North 3rd Street and Hamilton Street in Newark, NJ.
Afterwards, the suspect transported himself to the emergency room at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. Doctors at the Newark medical facility treated the victim for his gunshot wound. Fortunately, the victim was expected to survive his injuries.
Hospital officials contacted the Newark Police Department to alert them to the incident. Newark cops went to the hospital and talked to the suspect. The suspect initially said that someone else had shot him while he walked along 7th Avenue, but investigators later determined that the suspect shot himself in a different part of Newark.
The suspect, a 52-year-old resident of Newark New Jersey, was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with illegal possession of a handgun.
If the suspect is ultimately convicted on the very serious criminal charges, he would face a lengthy term of incarceration. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b), anyone caught illegally possessing a handgun can be charged with a second degree felony and is subject to a sentence of 5-10 years in NJ State Prison.
For further information about this case, go to the NJ.com article, “Man Shoots Self, Faces Gun Charge After Giving False Story, Police Say.”
