Mom’s boyfriend charged in death of 2-year-old boy who fatally shot himself in Pullman

A Chicago man was charged in the death of a 2-year-old boy who fatally shot himself Sunday afternoon in Pullman on the Far South Side.

Remarkably, the toddler’s death appeared to be the only death during the long holiday Memorial Day weekend; citywide, 39 people were injured from shootings.

Johnny R. Hughes, 31, was charged with child endangerment resulting in death, possession of a firearm as a repeat felon, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon, Chicago police said.

Hughes, who is the boyfriend of the toddler Jamonte Shaw’s mother, was expected to appear in court Tuesday.

Jamonte shot himself in the head about 12:40 p.m. Sunday at a home in the 900 block of East 104th Street, police said. Jamonte, who lived in the same block, was taken in critical condition to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:31 p.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy is pending.

According to Hughes’ arrest report, two police officers found the toddler, unresponsive and lying on the ground with a single gunshot wound to the head. His mom and Hughes were on the couch and when the officers asked where the gun was found, Hughes showed them to the back bedroom, where the loaded gun, a 9mm semi-automatic Taurus G3 with a laser attachment, was folded between two layers of clothing. on a top shelf of a bedroom closet.

It was not clear from the report how the toddler was able to get ahold of the gun.

Hughes, who was denied a FOID card and does not have a concealed carry license, said “we purchased it,” when the officers asked how he received the gun.