Teenager shoots self in the head, survives

CEBU, Philippines - A boy who is allegedly suffering from a nervous breakdown survived after he reportedly attempted to commit suicide by shooting his head with a gun in Tabuelan town last Friday.

Seventeen-year-old Bob (not his real name), aimed the gun on his head in an attempt to commit suicide. However, the bullet got stuck on his temple and he was eventually rescued.

SPO1 Oliver Legaspino of Tabuelan Police Station said the incident happened in Barangay Kantobaon at 12 noon last Friday. The family reported the incident to them.

Investigation showed that the family was inside the house when they heard gunfire from nearby. This prompted them to check what happened and found the victim at the back of a neighbor’s house with blood oozing from his face.

They learned that the victim shot his head with an unlicensed caliber .22 revolver and the bullet got stuck on his right temple.

The family rushed the victim to a hospital in Cebu City.

Legaspino described the victim’s condition as not serious. The bullet, which fortunately did not penetrate his skull, was already taken out.

He said they received further information that after the foiled suicide attempt, the victim washed his head to get rid of the blood.

Police recovered the gun from the crime scene along with three live ammunitions and an empty shell.

The family and the police believe, Legaspino said, that the victim was prompted to commit suicide because of his illness.

The police officer further said that the victim’s father had always been asking help from their office to look for their son who often wandered off.  (FREEMAN)