Teen Boy Fatally Shot Himself at South Side Day Care: Officials

A 17-year-old boy fatally shot himself Tuesday afternoon in the South Side West Englewood neighborhood. 

The boy suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at a home day care in the 6500 block of South Oakley, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt and Chicago Police. 

He was dead at the scene, according to police and fire officials. The Cook County medical examiner’s office did not immediately confirm the fatality.

Merritt said it was not immediately clear if the shooting was an accident or a suicide.

No other injuries were reported, police said.

The home was recently registered as a licensed day care home provide with a capacity for eight children. It was not known if any children were inside at the time. 

Multicolored paper cutout letters in the window of the home read "Precious Steps Child Care." Below the letters, a white sign reads "NO GUNS ALLOWED" with an imagine of a handgun in a red circle with a line through it.

Yellow police tape was tied across the chain-link fence outside the home.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

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