Chicago man arrested on gun charges after shooting himself in sleep as he dreamt about an intruder

Sheriff’s say bullet passed through Mark Dicara’s leg and was lodged in bed

A Chicago man who shot himself in the leg with his gun as he dreamed about an intruder breaking into his home has been charged, say officials.

Mark Dicara, 62, was not only physically injured in the bizarre incident but was arrested when the Lake County Sheriff’s Office found his firearm ownership card had been revoked.

Deputies responded to Mr Dicara’s home in the Chicago suburb of Lake Barrington on 10 April after a report of someone being shot. Mr Dicara was found with a gunshot wound and significant blood loss and was transported to the hospital for treatment.

Investigators say that Mr Dicara was dreaming about the intruder and grabbed his .357 Magnum and fired, hitting himself in the leg.

The sheriff’s office says that the bullet passed through his leg and ended up lodged in the bed.

“Fortunately, the round did not travel through a shared wall with Dicara’s neighbors,” the sheriff’s office stated.

Investigators determined that there had been no attempted burglary at the home and that Mr Dicara possessed a gun despite his Firearm Owners Identification Card being revoked.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office charged him with possession of a firearm without a valid FOID card and reckless discharge of a firearm.

He was arrested on Monday 12 June and was released after posting bond. He will appear in court later this month.