An employee at a Northlake grocery store was taken to the hospital last week after being accidentally shot by his manager, according to police.
Luis Hernandez, 36, has been an employee at Farmer’s Best Market, 23 W. North Ave., for 11 years and was promoted to manager about five months ago. Hernandez was in the grocery store’s security office on March 9 when he said he saw a firearm sitting on a desk that belongs to another store manager who is also a licensed security guard.
When Hernandez touched the gun he accidentally fired a bullet that traveled through the wall of the security office and into the front end of the store, striking a 41-year-old employee in the ankle while he was bagging groceries, police said.
“When I went to move it I thought the safety was still on. I didn’t know it would go off like that,” said Hernandez. “I didn’t want that to happen.”
Once officers were on the scene at 3:47 p.m., they had the employee taken to Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park for treatment.
The shooting was later ruled accidental and no criminal charges were filed, said Northlake Deputy Chief of Police Jay Militello.
However, while Hernandez was in custody, officers saw he had a warrant out of DuPage County for failing to appear for a DUI. Hernandez said he has been released on bond on that charge.
“I spoke to [the employee] just the other day to apologize for what happened,” said Hernandez. “He told me it was OK and understood it was an accident.”
Alex V. Hernandez is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press
