An Illinois resident was apprehended and charged after accidentally shooting himself while asleep, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Mark Dicara, a 62-year-old man whose Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card had been revoked, had a gun near him while he was sleeping. During a dream, he unknowingly fired the gun, causing injury to his leg.
Emergency services in Lake Barrington were alerted by the Dicara’s distress call. Arriving at his residence, first responders found him suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg.
“Sheriff’s deputies applied a tourniquet to Dicara’s leg, as he was losing a significant amount of blood,” the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said. “Further investigation revealed Dicara had a dream that someone was breaking into his home. He retrieved his .357 Magnum Revolver and shot at who he believed was the intruder. When he fired, he shot himself and apparently woke up from the dream.”
Dicara was then transported to a nearby hospital where he received treatment and was subsequently released.
READ MORE: Denver policeman hit with multiple gunshots, kills suspect who opened fire outside hotel
Investigation into the incident unveiled that the man was not legally authorized to own or possess a firearm, due to his revoked firearm owner identification card. In Illinois, an FOID card is necessary for individuals to legally purchase or possess firearms or ammunition.
Dicara was arrested on June 12 and is facing charges for illegal possession of a firearm by a person with a revoked FOID card, which is a class three felony, and the reckless discharge of a firearm, which is a class four felony.
The charges against Dicara carry significant penalties in the state of Illinois. The Sheriff’s Office emphasized the necessity of responsible gun ownership and the potential consequences of disregard for the law.
This case highlights the danger and liability associated with illegal firearm possession and serves as a reminder of the importance of lawful gun ownership.
Dicara is due to appear in court later this month on June 29, where he will respond to the charges.
This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.
