An 18-year-old man, who has previously been convicted of a shooting and a robbery, has been charged after prosecutors say he accidentally shot himself in the leg while buying drugs in Zion last week.
Cinmyion D. Timmons, 18, of Round Lake, was charged with possession of a firearm while ineligible, a Class 3 felony, and four counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, a Class 4 felony.
The Zion Police Department responded around 4 a.m. on March 12 to the area of 27th Street and Hebron Avenue in Zion for a report of shots fired.
Zion Police Department Lt. Paul Kehrli said gunshot detection technology initially notified officers of the shooting.
Officers were in the area and then received a 911 call reporting someone had been shot.
Officers found Timmons suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg in an apartment in the 2700 block of Hebron Avenue, Kehrli said.
The Zion Fire and Rescue Department was called to the scene and paramedics transported Timmons to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
Detectives met Timmons at the hospital and also secured the scene at the apartment building.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said Timmons initially told investigators he was shot by someone else.
Kehrli said Timmons eventually became forthcoming and said he had accidentally shot himself.
Timmons told investigators the negligent discharge occurred while he was purchasing drugs, McConnell said. He does not have a concealed carry license or Firearm Owner’s Identification card.
Evidence at the scene corroborated the account and it is believed the gun was in his pocket when it was discharged, Kehrli said.
McConnell said that thankfully no one was around when the shooting occurred as it happened around 4 a.m.
Timmons has since been treated and released at the hospital and the felony charges were filed against him for illegally possessing the gun.
McConnell said Timmons has separate juvenile adjudications for aggravated discharge of a firearm, robbery of a handicapped or victim over 60 and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
Timmons received a 13-month sentence in juvenile detention for the shooting case and a 10-month sentence in juvenile detention for the unlawful possession of a weapon case.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Timmons pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to himself and the community.
Timmons’ mother testified in court during his detention hearing where a public defender argued for Timmons’ release pending trial, saying that he had a good family support system and was planning on joining the U.S. Navy.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition and remanded Timmons to the Lake County Jail.
The judge told Timmons that his mother clearly loves and cares for him but he does not want her standing at his funeral “because you continue to feel the need to have firearms with you,” as he called Timmons’ criminal history extensive.
Nerheim said he was not only concerned for the public’s safety but also for Timmons’ own safety. Timmons is set to appear in court again on April 9 for a preliminary hearing.
The Zion Police Department has been conducting extra patrols in the area where the incident occurred due to two groups of people feuding, causing issues, Kehrli said.
The investigation into that case is ongoing but charges are expected at a later date.