Bernard Shields, 36, was asleep early Friday in his South Side home in the 6200-block of South Drexel Avenue when the boy found the gun in his pants pocket, and took it into a bathroom, where it discharged while he was holding it, reported the Chicago Tribune.
The boy was taken to Comer Children's Hospital in good condition.
RELATED: https://abc7chicago.com/boy-5-accidentally-shoots-self-with-gun-from-dads-pocket-in-woodlawn-police-say/6126425/
Police said that Shields was arrested after he drove from his house to get rid of the weapon. He was arrested on a host of charges, including being an armed habitual criminal and possessing controlled substances. He was also arrested on misdemeanor counts of unlawful use of a weapon, possession of ammunition without a valid firearms owners identification card, violating an order of protection and causing a child to be endangered.
He was taken into custody in the 6100-block of South State Street. The gun was found outside and police said Shields admitted to panicking and running outside to discard the gun.
Shields was taken into custody and a judge was expected to set his bond on Sunday.
ABC7 Chicago contributed to this article.