American charged as his 6-yr-old son kills baby brother

Michael Santiago charged with felony child endangerment after his six-year-old son accidentally shot and killed his three-year-old brother.

He told Chicago Police that he was a former gang member and felt he needed the gun to protect his family.

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Chicago Tribune reports that the shooting occurred on the night of Saturday 17th October.

Police spokesman, Guglielmi, said the older boy and his younger brother wanted to play 'cops and robbers' when one of them retrieved the loaded handgun from atop the refrigerator. The older boy shot his younger brother in the face.

Family members took the younger boy, identified by the medical examiner as Eian Santiago, to Norwegian American Hospital. He was later transported in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died later on.

The boys' father, Michael Santiago, was charged Sunday with one felony count of child endangerment/death for 'knowingly' storing the loaded gun in the house and making it accessible to his children.