* NBC 5…
Nearly 60 percent of guns recovered in Chicago come from out-of-state dealers, with more than 20 percent traced back to Indiana, according to a newly-released report on the city’s violence.
The Chicago Police Department, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the University of Chicago Crime Lab unveiled Sunday the findings of their 2017 Gun Trace Report, a study that analyzed crimes between 2013 and 2016 to better understand where guns in Chicago come from, and to develop impactful solutions to address the root causes of the city’s violence. […]
Just 10 federally licensed firearms dealers (seven in Illinois and three in northwest Indiana) sold nearly a quarter of the guns recovered in Chicago, the research also showed. The top two locations – Chuck’s Gun Shop in Riverdale and Midwest Sporting Goods in Lyons – have been the source of a disproportionate number of weapons for the better part of a decade, according to the report, providing a combined 11.2 percent of all crime guns recovered in Chicago.
The rest of the top 10 sources included, in order: Westforth Sports in Gary, Indiana, Cabela’s in Hammond, Indiana, Shore Galleries in Lincolnwood, GAT Guns in East Dundee, Suburban Sporting Goods in Melrose Park, Pelcher’s Shooter Supply in Lansing, Blythe’s Sport Shop in Griffith, Indiana, and Sporting Arms & Supply in Posen.
* Sun-Times…
The city’s second “Gun Trace Report,” set for release on Sunday, looks at guns recovered by CPD from 2013 through 2016 — where they came from, who bought them — and offers ways to put a dent in Chicago’s entrenched gun violence.
Out of approximately 27,500 weapons recovered during that period, the report focuses on 15,000 guns — all of which were initially bought legally at more than 5,000 federally licensed gun dealers in Illinois and other states, according to the report. […]
City leaders have long bemoaned the relatively lax gun laws in Indiana as a driver of gun violence in Chicago. Indiana does not require background checks when gun sales occur at gun shows or between private parties.
According to the new report, 21 percent of guns recovered in Chicago from 2013 through 2016 were initially purchased in Indiana. […]
To stem the tide of shootings, the report recommended Illinois General Assembly pass the Gun Dealer Licensing Act to help curb straw purchasing, impose anti-theft measures and help police in their gun trafficking investigations.
The senate bill was filed Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, in February and has attracted 18 co-sponsors. It passed the Senate in April. It has 30 sponsors in the Illinois House and has a final action deadline of Nov. 10.
* Tribune…
Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson called on state lawmakers to approve legislation to more aggressively regulate gun dealers in Illinois, pointing to a newly released trove of data that shows many guns recovered by police in connection with crimes can be traced back to licensed gun stores in the Chicago area.
The call for legislative action came as Johnson and other advocates for stricter gun rules convened Sunday at police headquarters to highlight findings of a new report tracing so-called “crime guns” — firearms found at a shooting scene, in the possession of gang members or otherwise being used illegally — to their original point of sale.
The Tribune reported on the study, a collaboration among the mayor’s office, Chicago police and University of Chicago Crime Lab, in advance of its official release.
The report found that “roughly two out of every five of Chicago’s crime guns come into the city from Illinois source dealers, making Illinois the single largest source state for Chicago’s illegal guns.”
The report also found that nearly one-fourth of guns recovered at crime scenes over a recent four-year period came from just 10 Chicago-area businesses.
* From the report…
Both three-year and one-year “time to crime” analyses were conducted for crime guns traced back to the top ten source dealers. A firearm’s “time to crime” refers to the amount of time that lapsed between the initial retail sale and the subsequent recovery of that firearm by law enforcement. A shorter time to crime serves as an indicator than illegal trafficking or transfer activity took place before the firearm came into the hands of law enforcement. In addition to the time to crime, law enforcement also look to other factors that indicate a firearm has been illegally trafficked, such as whether the firearm was originally purchased by someone other than the illegal possessor, originally purchased in another state, originally purchased among multiple firearms by the same purchaser, reported lost or stolen, or has an altered or defaced serial number. The more of these factors present, the greater the likelihood that the crime gun involved a straw purchase or other illegal sale before it was seized by police. […]
Notably, Suburban Sporting Goods had both the highest three-year and one-year time to crime of any top ten FFL, with almost half of its Chicago crime guns having been recovered within one year of initial sale.
Midwest Sporting Goods continued to surpass Chuck’s Gun Shop in short time to crime recoveries. Following the previous release of Chicago Police firearm trace data, in late October of 2015 the Village of Lyons passed an ordinance to regulate gun dealers within its jurisdiction, which includes Midwest Sporting Goods. From 2015 to 2016, Midwest Sporting Goods’ shortest time to crime gun recoveries – those of less than one year from point of sale to recovery in a crime – dropped by almost 10 percentage points. While more time and analysis are needed to evaluate the impact of the new ordinance in Lyons, the early results are promising.
* Related…
* Melrose Park shop jumps to a leading seller of ‘crime guns’ in Chicago area
* New FBI chief says he’s already losing sleep over Chicago violence
- Sen. Blutarsky - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:00 pm:
Perhaps the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois might reverse that office’s policy of NOT prosecuting straw buyers in Illinois.
- Toast - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:09 pm:
Guns come from gun stores, who knew?
- 47th Ward - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:12 pm:
Criminals getting guns from legal sellers?
Absolutely nothing can be done about this. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
Because…freedom.
(Note to self: maybe I should invest some of the retirement cash in a gun store. Seems like easy money with no downside).
- Galena Guy - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:20 pm:
“Guns come from gun stores, who knew?”
And the NRA fights tooth and nail to resist ANY type of legislation to oversee such purchases.
- RNUG - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:28 pm:
So exactly how is yet another Illinois gun law going to stop that 60% of out of state sales?
- Amalia - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:32 pm:
the NRA resists at every turn keeping records that makes it easier to trace guns. one reason why prosecution is so difficult. the ATF’s budget should be increased. Gun dealers should be licensed in the state so even modest resources can be applied to checking up on dealers. slow down the pipeline to the bad guys.
- Jane A. - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:45 pm:
Perhaps some anti-gun violence citizens’ groups should start picketing in front of the gun shops, now that we know where they are. And, invite the news outlets, especially TV stations with their video crews. Interviews with mothers who’ve lost their children to guns from these stores could be shown on the nightly news.
Shame, embarrassment and negative publicity can work wonders. Well, maybe not the first two. These shop owners clearly have no shame and must not be capable of embarrassment, but negative publicity might work.
- Jane A. - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:51 pm:
Some anti-gun violence citizens’ groups should start picketing in front of these stores, now that we know where they are. And invite the media, especially video crews. Interviews with mothers who’ve lost their children because of guns from these stores could be interviewed for the nightly news.
Shame, embarrassment and negative publicity can work wonders. Well, perhaps these shop owners are incapable of shame and feel no embarrassment, but negative publicity might work.
- Puddintaine - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:52 pm:
So we need a wall on the Indiana Border now
- Tequila Mockingbird - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:52 pm:
The NRS resists the kind of registration that could (and has) lead to confiscation. Gun dealers are already heavily regulated and monitored by BATFE. Just because the guns are entering illegal channels doesn’t mean the gun dealers are breaking laws. New regulations will do nothing to hamper the gangbangers and criminals.
- Texas Red - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:55 pm:
Gun stores are required to ensure all buyers have FOID’s and that they pass a back-ground check - what happens after that is not the stores conceren. Secondly if you want to reduce the percentage of out of state guns - then one solution is to open more gun shops in Chicago.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:55 pm:
If they are selling to an out of State resident without transferring through an FFL in that persons home State, they are violating Federal transfer laws.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:00 pm:
One more reason why banning bump stocks will have to happen at the Federal level
- DuPage - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:00 pm:
Convicted felons can go across the street to Indiana and buy without a background check. Make it a condition of parole they don’t leave the state of Illinois without specific prior authorization from their parole officer, and a GPS tracker strap on their ankle at all times.
- Toast - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:02 pm:
** And the NRA fights tooth and nail to resist ANY type of legislation to oversee such purchases. **
That’s the ATF’s job, and anyone who buys a gun from a gun store is subject to federal background check, regardless of the state they live in.
- Toast - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:05 pm:
You can’t buy a gun in a gun store in any state without going through a federal background check.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:12 pm:
==Convicted felons can go across the street to Indiana and buy without a background check.==
Not legally. Unless they’ve moved to Indiana
- anon2 - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:15 pm:
How about supporting a federal law against straw purchases? If people of good will on both sides really oppose straw purchases, then let’s make it easier to prosecute.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:24 pm:
==How about supporting a federal law against straw purchases==
It already is. Read a 4473.
- California Guy - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:24 pm:
@ 47th Ward
You’d be wasting money by investing in gun stores. The gun industry, including gun stores and the available “gun” stocks, are historically lousy businesses with low margins. You’ll see most gun stores are owned by gun enthusiasts and hobbyists, not bank-rolled businessmen.
If you want to make money on violence in general, I suggest defense stocks (Northrup, Raytheon, Lockheed, etc.).
- 47th Ward - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:32 pm:
===The gun industry, including gun stores and the available “gun” stocks, are historically lousy businesses with low margins.===
They say the same thing about gas stations too. And yet…somebody seems to be making lots of money selling firearms to the American public. If it’s not the retailer, then maybe it’s the wholesaler. Or maybe the manufacturer.
At any rate, I don’t think anybody is going broke in the firearms business.
- DuPage - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:40 pm:
@- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:12 pm:
==Convicted felons can go across the street to Indiana and buy without a background check.==
===Not legally. Unless they’ve moved to Indiana===
I was talking about the Indiana gun shows and private party sales. While the sale may be legal, possession by a felon is already illegal, but that doesn’t stop them either. Nobody requires the gun show/private parties seller to check.
- Nearly Normal - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:41 pm:
So will we have an ad with the Gov of Indiana thanking Illinois for buying guns in Indiana?
- Todd - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:42 pm:
So let me get this straight, gun stores sell guns to people with FOID cards, conduct a background check and the buyer fills out and answers the questions on a 4473.
They don’t define “crime gun” nor do they provide any correlation of how the gun came to be in the hands fo the cops. there seems to be no explination if any of them were reported stolen.
The bemoan the fact there is no registration and simply are opening this up as a way to push for broader gun control schemes.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:46 pm:
==I was talking about the Indiana gun shows and private party sales. While the sale may be legal, possession by a felon is already illegal, but that doesn’t stop them either. Nobody requires the gun show/private parties seller to check.
==
If the person is selling to someone from another State, the sale is not legal unless it’s routed through an FFL. Any sale involving an FFL requires background.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:48 pm:
Gun laws are strict in Illinois and they work. Very few gun crimes come from those with valid conceal carry licenses or FOID cards. This article poses more questions - and it is important to trace the origin of these guns, to understand the problem. If the guns were bought legally at Cabella’s in Indiana, how did they become involve in street crime? Were the guns stolen? Was it a straw purchaser? Probably NOT the fault of Cabella’s. You need a valid FOID card to even browse the guns or to buy ammunition.
Illegal guns is the problem.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 2:56 pm:
===Illegal guns is the problem===
Yes, but every gun begins its life as a legal gun. Understanding where and how they become illegally owned/used is essential to stopping the problem.
You’d think law-abiding gun owners would want to stop the problem too. They are the victims of all of these stolen weapons and when lawmakers propose legislation without having good research, guys like Todd raise hell.
Be part of the solution guys. Nobody serious wants to take away the guns of responsible owners. Nobody sane wants to see more murders in Chicago. There ought to be enough common ground to make even a little progress in Illinois.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 3:01 pm:
==Be part of the solution guys.==
That goes both ways. An enormous part of any solution is enforcement and tough sentencing. That’s not real popular on the left, and we’re left with states attorneys giving out probation sentences when they should be in prison. On the enforcement end the regulations are already on the books that would break the chain from purchase to crime in most of these scenarios, but law enforcement, namely the ATF is either slacking or they need more resources to do their job.
- Amalia - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 3:13 pm:
Anonymous above is mainly correct especially now with SA Foxx. But that is not true of most of us. It is also not true that if they just enforce the laws on the books that would be enough. Especially because it is difficult to enforce the laws on the books as the NRA keeps taking away money from the ATF to do the job. It is not as simply as arrest the guy (almost always guys) and prosecute him. The work to arrest is detailed and deep. Support that work with money, NRA. put the money where your mouth is.
- independent - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
When law enforcement recovers one of these guns, do they trace it to who bought it and when? Do they then interview that person as to how their gun is no longer in their possession? I suspect probably not, the ATF’s budget has been so severely cut by congress they can’t, how about tracking down the original purchaser of every recovered gun. It might give us better understanding, of course the gun lobby will not like this.
- Toast - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 3:21 pm:
## NRA keeps taking away money from the ATF ##
It’s not the NRA’s job to fund the ATF.
- anon2 - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 3:23 pm:
One side wants harsher penalties,while the other wants more prosecutions of straw purchasers. When so few straw purchasers are prosecuted, the length of the penalty doesn’t matter. How about making it more feasible to identify and prosecute the straw purchasers who buy in Indiana and elsehwere?
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 3:43 pm:
It should be the NRA’s job to fund the ATF. There should be a special tax on the NRA–not gun owners, the organization–that covers the ATF’s budget.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 3:56 pm:
==One side wants harsher penalties,while the other wants more prosecutions of straw purchasers.==
It’s not an either/or for one side. Laws are (1) not being enforced when they could and should; and (2) they’re not being prosecuted like they should, especially in Cook County. The point raised by many is, if you’re not even enforcing and prosecuting the laws on the books now, how will adding new laws, that won’t be enforced or prosecuted, really change anything?
- jimk849 - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 4:17 pm:
60% of guns from out of state. 100% of shooters from….. yes more laws will do it.
- don the legend - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 4:28 pm:
Maybe Governor Junk can run commercials in Indiana thanking their governor for all the guns they send to Illinois.
- striketoo - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 5:03 pm:
independent wrote: ” It might give us better understanding, of course, the gun lobby will not like this.”
Actually, gun rights advocates strongly support the enforcement of existing gun laws.
- RNUG - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 5:09 pm:
== It should be the NRA’s job to fund the ATF. There should be a special tax on the NRA–not gun owners, the organization–that covers the ATF’s budget. ==
To which my response is the gun control people want more regulation, so let those groups voluntarily fund the ATF.
- austinman - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 5:12 pm:
Can gun shot victims like myself do a thanks Indiana and other states commercial regarding their lax gun laws enable people to take Indiana guns and let them be used to shoot people like myself.
- Roger - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 5:20 pm:
The only thing Illinois keeps wanting to do is restrict LEGAL gun owners. It is a felony to purchase a firearm legally and then sell it with out proper paperwork. If it was stolen then it is the responsibility of that person to not only file a police report with serial numbers I do believe you are also required to notify ATF. I know you won’t allow this as you continually refuse to allow my comments.
- California Guy - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 5:32 pm:
@ 47th Ward
You’re right about gas stations. Retail gas is a low margin business. The money is in extraction and transport.
Just like retail small arms sales have lousy revenues relative to the defense industry.
The gun lobby’s strength is not accurately measured by the amount of money it spends. The strength of the gun lobby is better calculated by the intense, enthusiastic support of NRA members. Ask anyone in DC what lobby group has the best ground game. NRA is #1. Gun supporters will literally show up anywhere in the country when the memo goes out. The only real competition they have would be teacher’s unions.
- Todd - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 5:37 pm:
We already see people wanting to go past licensing of dealers and now require the registration of all firearms, something gun owners will never agree to.
NY tried it with their safe act, they got about 15% compliance. CT & MA tried it and saw similar rates.
Meanwhile, Foxx lets them off the hook as if its a fishing tournament. . . .
http://www.guns.com/2017/04/17/straw-purchaser-with-4-felony-gun-charges-will-not-get-jail-time/
- Roger - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 7:11 pm:
One simple gun bill without all of the other banning garbage in it would work. Currently all handguns coming in to the state must go from dealer to dealer then purchaser. You could do the same with rifles and shotguns. If I want to transfer any firearm to another person Illinois law REQUIRES I get their FOID card with all required paperwork call ISP and get a transfer number for the bill of sale, which you must retain for I think 10 years? Just make it where you transfer through a dealer and save the headache and book keeping requirements. The dealer gets paid for his service and the purchaser has to fill out I believe a ATF Form 4473. That way there is a permanent record of sale and purchase.
- Arizona Bob - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 7:32 pm:
@CALIFORNIA GUY
=You’re right about gas stations. Retail gas is a low margin business. The money is in extraction and transport.=
Not quite. The REAL money in gasoline sales is in the taxes gouged by the state, local and Federal guvs.
Tax per gallon far exceeds producer, midstream and retail profit. HOW ironic that the ones who have provided the least in product makes the most money from its sale….
- Arizona Bob - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 7:36 pm:
Anyone see what ” recovered” means? does that include guns illegally owned but not used in a crime? When I was in Chicago construction, and a lot of workers had guns for self protection and had no intention of shooting anyone who didn’t threaten their lives
- Arizona Bob - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 7:39 pm:
The most common reasoning for construction workers working in rough Chicago neighborhoods was, “I’d rather be judged by 12 than buried by six….The important number would be sourcing weapons used to shoot people. Gee I wonder why that number wasn’t used?lol
- Freezeup - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 8:43 pm:
I find it very interesting that Cabela’s in Hammond sold so many crime guns. Why not Cabela’s in Hoffman Estates? Cabela’s is a large, legit company that understands the law and does business legally and ethically.
If both stores adhere to the rules, why is there such a difference?
- Last Bull Moose - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 9:40 pm:
I have a concern about the numbers. We are talking about 15,000 guns over a four year period. Roughly 4,000 guns per year in a city of 2,600,000 people.
How many weapons are in Chicago? The national association estimate is just under 1 weapon per person. At half that we are talking over 1 million weapons.
Seems like we are chasing the wrong target.
Reminds me of a report that estimated 2/3 of the supplies sent south from Hanoi went by sea. We bombed the Ho Chi Minh trail when we needed to clear the seas of boats.
The gun laws are more for political points than actual results.
- Todd - Tuesday, Oct 31, 17 @ 6:38 am:
Roger, that won’t work as 1. dealers do not want to be involved in transactions they know nothing about.
The fee to do so would be another tax as it takes about an hour to do the paperwork and most dealers would charge about $50.
Lastly, your thinly veiled attempt to start some sort of registration system is something gun owners have been on to and won’t support.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 31, 17 @ 6:54 am:
A few commenters ought to take the time to read the laws (FOID and Conceal Carry to start) and the full gun trace report(it’s available on the City website)
- How' it - Tuesday, Oct 31, 17 @ 8:07 am:
Doesn’t matter where guns come from. Criminal laws are not enforced in Illinois. If even gun crimes of violence are not solved and prosecuted, why would anyone expect non-violent gun crimes (illegal possession/sale) to be solved, prosecuted and punished?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 31, 17 @ 10:42 am:
How about a law that reads something like “Thou shalt not kill”?