Newark Handgun Possession ChargesA Newark New Jersey faces weapons offense charges after he reportedly shot himself on accident.

According to law enforcement, the suspect was walking in the area of North 3rd Street and Hamilton Street in Newark and carrying a handgun when he accidentally shot himself.

After the accidental shooting, the suspect reportedly drove himself to University Hospital so that emergency room doctors could treat him for his wounds. The victim’s condition was stabilized and he was expected to survive his gunshot-related injuries.

Hospital staff members then called the Newark Police Department, which subsequently dispatched cops to the hospital. The suspect told investigators that somebody else shot him on 7th Avenue in Newark, but police later determined that he actually shot himself in a different section of the city.

The suspect is a 52-year-old resident of Newark NJ. He was charged with a weapons offense for illegal possession of a handgun.

If the suspect is convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon, he would face severe penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b), anyone caught illegally in possession of a handgun can be charged with a second degree crime. Second degree felonies in New Jersey carry a potential sentence of 5-10 years in state prison.

To learn more about this case, access the NJ.com article, “Man Shoots Self, Faces Gun Charge After Giving False Story, Police Say.”