"Dreamed of a Burglary, Accidentally Fired"
Charged with Violation of Firearms Act and Punished
A man in his 60s from Illinois, USA, who shot himself during a nightmare and sustained injuries, has been punished for violating gun laws.
According to local media on the 14th (local time), Mark DiCara (62), who lives in a city north of Chicago, was arrested by the police two months after being found with a gunshot wound to his leg in his bedroom at around 10 p.m. on April 10.
At the time of the incident, DiCara told the police, "I dreamed that a burglar broke into my house," and "in a dazed state, I found a handgun in the room and accidentally shot myself."
The Lake County Sheriff's Office, the investigative authority in charge, stated, "It was confirmed that there was no external intruder at DiCara's residence at the time of the incident."
The officers who responded to the scene after the report said, "DiCara was bleeding heavily and a tourniquet had to be used," adding, "Fortunately, the bullet passed through DiCara's leg and lodged in the bed, so no other victims were involved." DiCara, who was injured, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
However, during the subsequent investigation, authorities discovered that DiCara's Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card had been revoked, and he was charged with a felony.
DiCara is known to be a lawyer, but the reason for the cancellation of his FOID card has not been disclosed.
After his arrest, DiCara was held on a $150,000 bail (approximately 200 million KRW) set by the court and was soon released after posting bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on the 29th.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, gun incidents continue unabated during the Memorial Day holiday, the U.S. national holiday, with 53 people shot and 11 killed. As of early June this year, 1,137 people have been shot and 230 have died, and including other means besides shootings, there have been 248 homicide cases reported.
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