What a horrible family tragedy. Michael Santiago, 25, purchased a pistol to protect himself against former gang members on Chicago’s North Side, and his (unnamed) son, 6, found the loaded gun. When playing “cops and robbers” with his brother Eian, 3, on Oct. 18, the gun went off suddenly. A bullet struck Eian in the face and killed him, and Michael has been arrested for felony child endangerment.
The weapon, which was a .32-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, was bought by Michael from “one of his Cobra [gang] connections”, as The Washington Post reports. “In a videotape statement the defendant said he kept the gun for protection because he was a former gang member who snitched on a gang member in a murder trial,” said prosecutor Joseph DiBella, according to the Chicago Tribune.
“The gun was purchased off the street,” Joseph said. “It was kept loaded, and it was wrapped in pajama pants on top of the refrigerator.” So sickening.
As if leaving a weapon unprotected wasn’t irresponsible enough, Michael allegedly showed his son where the gun was. “About a week prior to the shooting, he showed his older son where he kept the gun,” Joseph told the court. Michael “took the gun from on top of the refrigerator, unwrapped the pajama pants and explained to the 6-year-old that the gun was only to be used by adults.” Michael has been charged with felony endangerment of a child. The father could spend 2-10 years in prison if convicted.
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