A city correction officer’s son is recovering from a gunshot wound to the gut that his dad allegedly inflicted during a dust-up over the teen’s arrest on shoplifting charges, family and law-enforcement sources said today.
“I’m all right,” Quasaun Smalls, 17, told The Post this as he clutched his abdomen inside the pediatric ward of Elmhurst Hospital, his shell-shocked mom by his side.
Father Robert Smalls, 39, faces charges including assault and weapons possession after allegedly blasting his boy with his service weapon early yesterday morning inside their Queens home.
Sources said the shooting took place because Robert Smalls was irate that Quasaun had been busted for shoplifting over the weekend and released by cops after being issued a desk appearance ticket.
The father had wanted his son taught a lesson by being sent through Central Booking for an arraignment, the sources said.
According to a criminal court complaint, Quasaun told investigators that he and his father began fighting after the teen returned to their 59th Street home about 4:30 a.m. yesterday.
Robert Smalls opened fire after blocking two punches, the complaint says.
During an arraignment this morning, Queens prosecutor Robin Kwalbrun said Robert Smalls told cops the shooting was an accident, saying that he was sleeping when his son entered the home and that he mistook his offspring for an intruder.
“He heard steps in his home,” Kwalbrun said. “He shouted, ‘Who is it?’ No lights were on. He said ‘Police, stop.’ He saw the person grab at his waist, he pulled his weapon and fired.”
Kwalbrun said Robert Smalls told cops: “By the time I realized it was my son, the gun discharged.”
Defense lawyer Robert Troxler said the case will come down who’s more credible, the six-year Department of Corrections veteran with no arrest record, or a teen with an arrest record.
“My client is willing to testify in the grand jury,” he said as Smalls, clad in green cargo pants and a white t-shirt, faced the judge. “My client didn’t want to support him. He had enough. He went down to the 114th Precinct and told him to stay with his uncle. My client went home later than night he heard a noise, the assailant charged at my client. He doesn’t have 20/20 vision. The complainant was throwing punches and was unfortunately injured.”
The father was charged with assault and weapons possession and was slapped with an order of protection, court records show.
Bail was set at $35,000 cash or $20,000 bond and the father was ordered to stay away from his son.
kconley@nypost.com



