Illinois Man Arrested For Dream Shooting Incident

A 62-year-old Illinois resident found himself in trouble after accidentally shooting himself in the leg during a vivid dream. According to reports from the Daily Mail, Mark Dicara was under the impression that his home was being invaded when the incident occurred on April 10, 2023.

Believing he was under attack from a burglar, Dicara grabbed his .357 revolver to defend himself against the imaginary intruder. In the confusion of the moment, he discharged his firearm, unintentionally hitting his own leg and causing a significant wound due to the caliber of the weapon.

Investigators said 62-year-old Mark M. Dicara wounded himself with his own .357 Magnum while having a dream that someone was breaking into his home. https://t.co/iDj9z4C0b0

— HuffPost (@HuffPost) June 15, 2023

Upon police arrival, they found Dicara in dire need of medical attention as he bled profusely. Officers applied a tourniquet to stem the bleeding and then rushed him to a nearby hospital. 

Fortunately, no one else was harmed as authorities said the bullet did not pierce through a shared wall with Dicara’s neighbors.

Upon further investigation, it became evident that Dicara’s perception of a home invasion was a mere fabrication of his own mind. The authorities thoroughly searched the premises and found no evidence of any break-in or presence of an intruder at the time.

The situation took a more serious turn when it was revealed that Dicara did not possess a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card, a requirement mandated by the state of Illinois. Investigators discovered that his previously held identification card had been revoked due to undisclosed reasons.

Consequently, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office decided to press charges against Dicara. He now faces a Class 3 felony charge for unlawfully possessing a firearm without a valid identification card, along with a Class 4 felony charge for the reckless discharge of a firearm.

If convicted on the unlawful possession charge, Dicara could face a prison sentence ranging from five to ten years, in addition to fines of up to $25,000. The Class 4 felony carries a potential prison term of one to three years, along with fines of up to $25,000.

Dicara has since been released on a $150,000 bond, allowing him to navigate the legal process while awaiting trial.