* I told subscribers about this last week…
State Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement after an unknown gunman shot and killed an 18-year-old man and wounded another person at Orland Square Mall Monday night:
“Monday night, I, unfortunately, witnessed two tragedies. The first was yet another senseless shooting, as a young man was gunned down literally a few feet away from where I was shopping with my family, along with other families, at Orland Square Mall.
“The second was the loss of innocence that died in the eyes of the children who witnessed the horrifying aftermath of the shooting. As parents, we do everything we can to protect our children and shield them from harsh realities. Yesterday, my heart sunk to the pit of my stomach realizing that these children will remember the violence that occurred for years to come.
“The shooting is yet another tragic reminder that the gun violence epidemic has only worsened in our country. It’s another reminder that we must act now in a meaningful way to address this problem and end the blood that flows onto the floors of churches, elementary schools, movie theaters, city streets and malls.
“The solutions are not a secret. We know that simple and broadly supported measures like universal background checks, cracking down on straw purchases and illegal weapon sales and limiting access to high-capacity magazines and military-style assault weapons would save countless lives. The time to act is now.”
The gunman has since been apprehended.
* Sun-Times…
State Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, was inside Justice — a children’s clothing store — with his wife and daughters when the shots rang out.
“I told everybody to get back, get down, get in the back and behind the counter because we didn’t know where the shooting was. Then I came from behind and crawled behind the register and got the front doors locked,” he said Tuesday.
Sims said he saw the victim on the floor right outside the doors of Justice.
He was also one of many shoppers who called 911. When police arrived, they searched the Justice store for the shooter and soon after, gave an all-clear, he said.
“We stayed there [in the store] while they worked on him. I kept everyone in the back of the store so nobody — so the kids — didn’t have the chance to see him being worked on.”
* A new story from Illinois Public Radio…
Q: And then in your statement, you take a turn to policy. Does this change or amplify or solidify — how do you see this in relation to the policies that you think Illinois should be pursuing in terms of preventing this sort of violence?
A: This situation only reinforces for me that we’ve got to have an honest conversation about gun violence and treat gun violence as the public health crisis that it is.
We’ve got to get away from this fallacy that gun violence is perpetrated by this “boogeyman,” this “gangbanger.” It’s not. Gun violence can happen anywhere, and I think the fact that this happened in Orland Park only serves to reinforce that these issues of gun violence — they don’t just happen in poor communities. They can happen anywhere.
When you’ve got free access to Illegal guns, these types of things happen.
* Sen. Sims posted his story on Facebook last week. Most commenters were supportive, but some were not…
Ugh.
* ISRA…
The Illinois State Rifle Association today is issuing the following statement on the senseless act of violence at the Orland Park Mall.
“Earlier this week there was a senseless shooting and murder at the Orland Park Mall. State Senator Elgie Sims was a witness to this horrific act along with his family. Sen. Sims took to social media to describe the ordeal his family and others at the mall faced. We commend the heroic actions Sen. Sims took to shield his family and others in the store until law enforcement arrived.
Unfortunately, in the aftermath of this horrible tragedy Sen. Sims and his family were subjected to comments that were beyond the pale of civil discourse. The Illinois State Rifle Association condemns these threatening, racist comments.
In this country we value to our core the fundamental belief in free speech. In the discussion regarding gun violence and potential ways to solve the problem there inevitably will be differing opinions. The Illinois State Rifle Association has at times disagreed with the Senator’s philosophy and votes on the topic of gun violence.
In the coming months there will be a continued discussion regarding the scourge of gun violence and how to keep guns out of the hands of criminals such as the shooter in this tragic incident. We at the Illinois State Rifle Association welcome all perspectives.”
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:05 am:
===The Illinois State Rifle Association condemns these threatening, racist comments.===
Good on them. Smart too.
- wordslinger - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:07 am:
–We’ve got to get away from this fallacy that gun violence is perpetrated by this “boogeyman,” this “gangbanger.” It’s not. Gun violence can happen anywhere,…–
That should be clear by now. Take any dozen or so of recent public square massacres (plenty to choose from) — how many were committed by “gangbangers?”
- Anonymous - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:11 am:
Just so vile. Those who attacked Senator Sims are just so awful.
I am a supporter of gun rights, to be absolutely sure.
The monsters that spewed this ugly racist crap are just despicable. I am glad the ISRA put out a statement condemning this kind of stuff. It has no place in our society whatsoever. Just vile, despicable, horrible.
I wish this society could have a discussion about guns that didnt involve this evil racist junk and all of this hate. Why do we have to hate?
- Rod - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:21 am:
As an ISRA member I am glad we issued that statement. I am also pleased Rich Miller posted it on the blog. With the ability of the democrats to pass any gun control law they want with their majority in Springfield I am sure those racists who are also supportive of gun rights really only for white people will be coming out of the woods with more of this type of stuff.
I am in Arizona right now which has in general open carry laws and no permit concealed carry. It’s relatively rare to see some one openly carrying a hand gun even in rural Arizona. The distance police have to travel outside the major cities to respond to emergency calls is significant so in general the belief in the necessity of self defense outside the cities is very strong here. It’s not just Republicans either that have that perspective, but Native Americans and Hispanic people who more often than not vote democratic too
- Andrea Durbin - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:22 am:
Thank you, Sen. Sims, for your courage and leadership. I hope you and your family recover from the trauma of this event. Too many children are familiar with this terror.
As to the FB comments, they are utterly abhorrent and indefensible.
- Todd - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:27 am:
The dealers also posted a comment on their FB page on the 24th:
Statement from FFL-IL.
The other night State Senator Elgie Simms was shopping with his family when they were in close proximity to the violent attack that took place in the Orland Park Mall.
Senator Simms published a statement about it his experience after the incident. In the debate about self defense, the right to keep and bear arms, and crime there are differing opinions. These debates sometimes get animated and heated, but nowhere in those debates is there room for threats, implied or otherwise, demeaning commentary, or racist remarks.
Those that do those comments do nothing to elevate the debate about how to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and evil doers, nor do they aid in protecting the right to keep and bear arms. They have no place in these debates.
While FFL-IL disagrees with many of Senator Simms votes and legislation he has sponsored, we condemn the abusive & racist comments people have expressed towards him and his family.
I know Elgie. We disagree on this issue, but he does not deserve the comments that were sent his way.
- Dome Gnome - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:07 am:
Todd, the dealers can’t spell “Sims” yet.
- Chucky Jay - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:00 pm:
This is a shame. Senator Sims is one of the nicest, most hardworking guys in the GA. I’ve known him since he first ran for the house in 12, and we haven’t always seen eye to eye on issues, but he’s a class act all the way.
- Todd - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:06 pm:
My bad I typed it
- Winderweezle - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:11 pm:
In almost 3 decades of a police officer, I saw people reacting in ugly ways to having the absolutely worst day of their life. I always felt that was understandable in some ways.
But this stuff? It shocks me that people sit around and think this is ok.
- Terry Salad - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:13 pm:
I hope more people see this. More people should see what Zach Tersak and Gabriel Ward (real names?)do on social media. I hope it spreads far and wide. Shine a light on these bigots.
- concerned citizen - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:58 pm:
More gun laws would have done nothing to stop the Orland shooting. The guy was already on parole and not allowed to have guns. The parole system has been watered down by the liberals to cater to these thugs.
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 1:31 pm:
How has Facebook not stepped in to shut this hate down?
- Anonymous - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 3:00 pm:
Agreed, Facebook needs to shut down those users. Truly awful.
- PeteyPal - Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 5:05 pm:
Assuming the tweets are authentic, they are certainly sophomoric and undignified. Nevertheless, we cannot let this flap divert attention away from the fact that Sims and his pals are doing their best to disarm the good citizens of Illinois and deny them the right to defend themselves and their families from attacks such as that survived by Sims.