RACINE, WI — A Racine teenager, who apparently was attempting to clean a gun and suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the process, now faces three criminal charges, including one felony.
Jaxin Parnell, 17, is charged with a felony count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, along with misdemeanor counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a person younger than 18 and negligent handling of a weapon.
The felony carries a maximum possible prison term of 10 years and a $25,000 fine.
Parnell is free from custody on a $5,000 signature bond. Court records indicate he’s on house arrest through the Racine County Alternative Program.
He’s due back in Racine County Circuit Court on Sept. 25, for a 9 a.m. preliminary hearing.
Teen suffers gunshot wound
According to the criminal complaint:
Racine Police were dispatched Sept. 6 to the 1100 block of Lasalle Street for a report of a person who had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police found Parnell in the bedroom with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his upper left thigh. Parnell stated he accidentally shot himself while he manipulated a handgun he had found a few days earlier.
The black Glock had no serial number, known also as a “ghost gun.” The gun had one live round in the chamber, and police observed a video on “how to clean a gun” playing on the TV in the room.
A female told police that she and her sister, along with two of Parnell’s friends, were in the house at the time of the incident.
Parnell told police he found the gun as he walked from Buchannan Street to Michigan Boulevard, where he observed it in the bushes. He said he was “excited” to find it, so he did not report it to police.
The handgun was loaded when he found it, and the magazine had 15 live rounds in it, the complaint states.
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