Father of 2-year-old boy shot by brother now charged, said he was holding gun for a friend who was drinking

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee man is now charged after police say his 2-year-old son was shot by his 4-year-old brother.

Joshua Walls Jr., 27, is facing charges of Second Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety and Bail Jumping.

Officers were called to Children's Hospital on Saturday where a 2-year-old boy was recovering after being shot in the foot at a home located near 18th and North.

According to the criminal complaint, the mother told officers that she was sleeping in the home where the two children live when Walls Jr. came over. The mother said she heard Walls Jr. talking to a friend in the living room.

The mother said she woke up when she heard Walls Jr. screaming that the 2-year-old was shot.

The mother asked Walls Jr. where the 4-year-old got the gun to which Walls Jr. allegedly said he took the gun from his friend who was drunk and hid it behind the cable box.

The 4-year-old told police that he accidentally shot his brother and that the defendant also had a knife, gun, and drugs in the house. 

Police responded to the home. They located a loaded firearm with one round in the chamber and an additional thirty rounds in the extended capacity magazine. Next to the gun, officers also found marijuana and an orange prescription bottle with suspected crack cocaine.

Officers spoke with the man who Walls Jr. said owned the gun. He told police that they were drinking and that he left the gun with the defendant because he did not want to have a firearm while driving. 

The 2-year-old boy did not suffer any broken bones in his foot but did undergo a surgical procedure to clean the wound.