Joeann Smith / Photo from Chicago Police
A South Shore woman accidentally fatally shot a 65-year-old relative during an argument about whether the gun would fire, police said.
Joeann Smith and Willie Smith were arguing about whether or not a gun would fire about 7 p.m. Wednesday at the woman’s home in the 1700 block of East 72nd Street, authorities said.
During the argument, Joeann Smith pointed the weapon at Willie Smith‘s face and pulled the trigger — shooting him in the eye, authorities said.
Willie Smith, of the 500 block of North Des Plaines Street, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died at 9 a.m. Friday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Joeann Smith, 52, was charged with one count of reckless discharge of a firearm, police said. She is expected to appear for a bond hearing Saturday.
Police described the argument as domestic, but the relationship between the two was not immediately known.
— Sun-Times Media Wire