* WGN’s Tahman Bradley…
Last Saturday in Chicago’s Millennium Park, a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot prompting Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to impose a curfew on unaccompanied minors.
WGN News asked: “If your 19-year-old and your 17-year-old called you up and said, ‘Hey dad, we want to hang out at the Bean on a Saturday night,’ would you be comfortable with them doing that?”
“Well, certainly watching what happened, the traffic, the death 16-year-old in that area gives one pause,” Pritzker said. “It is the responsibility of local law enforcement to do everything that they can to protect their downtown areas – that’s not just in Chicago, that’s in Rockford, it’s in Quincy, it’s in Carbondale, everywhere in the state.”
The fiscal year 2023 budget includes $1.4 billion to reduce crime and violence.
* Pritzker was also asked about that shooting and the mayor’s curfew order earlier in the week…
I’ve had the Illinois State Police reach out to the city and to the CPD to make sure that we’re offering every available service that we have, from the state level, including state troopers if necessary. And so that’s always available, but we just wanted to double down and make sure that they know, in any moment, particularly if there’s a crisis that’s happening in any given hour, we have state police on the front lines available to assist.
And of course, it’s up to each city, they are on the frontlines to do what is necessary to keep order. And to this, I just want to say these killings, particularly of young people, but any sort are just horrific for everybody that lives in Chicago and everybody that lives in Illinois. And so local police have to get their arms around this. We are providing at the state level significant support in other ways, including state police. But I also want to say, violence prevention programs, we put tens of millions of dollars into youth employment programs and making sure that we’re providing services for youth for the entire summer, but also all year long. And so those services are critically important to employ. We want to make sure that those dollars are being used properly. But suffice to say that the state’s engagement in this is significant.
* Also today, the governor signed a bill outlawing ghost guns…
Governor JB Pritzker signed HB4383 into law, banning the sale and possession of so-called ‘ghost guns’ statewide. ‘Ghost guns’ refer to unserialized, privately made firearms that are often sold as a set of parts to be assembled at home, allowing prohibited purchasers to circumvent background checks. Ghost guns cannot be traced by conventional means and can be created on a 3-D printer, leaving no record of their ownership.
“The people creating, selling, and purchasing these firearms know that they’re working to circumvent common-sense gun laws that ensure guns stay out of the hands of traffickers, abusers, and convicted criminals,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are seeing these unseralized guns being built in basements by those who should never have had access to such dangerous weapons and then used to commit heinous crimes, and it must be stopped to keep Illinoisans safe.”
Illinois is a trailblazer the fight against ghost guns. President Joe Biden’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has focused on ghost guns since taking office, recognizing the unprecedented threat these unregulated weapons pose. President Biden’s administration has taken similar steps to Illinois on the national level to reign in ghost guns, requiring serialization and reclassifying these build kits as firearms.
Because ghost guns are cheaper and easier to acquire than conventional firearms, they are more accessible to young people. Already in May of 2022, at least two Illinois teenagers were charged with possession of ghost guns, including one case where a loaded ghost gun was brought to a high school. ISP has worked on 28 cases concerning ghost guns in May of 2022 alone. Using the increased expressway cameras installed under Governor Pritzker, State Police recently brought into custody and arrested individuals associated in connection with multiple armed carjackings who used ghost guns to commit these crimes.
* Chicago police recovered a ghost gun after that Millennium Park shooting incident…
A second male, whose age was not listed in the police report, also was “observed in close proximity to (the 17-year-old) at the time of his arrest.” He also was seen pulling a gun from his waistband, but the police report notes he only took out the weapon after Holliday had been shot. When he saw officers coming toward him he also took off running, the report said, but he was stopped and detained after a brief foot chase.
The gun the second male pulled from his waistband was a ghost gun, meaning it does not have a serial number and can’t be traced, according to the report. It was not immediately clear whether police had filed charges against the male with the ghost gun.
* Saying the locals have to step up more may be partly why Lori Lightfoot elbowed her way in today…
More likely, though, it was because the bill’s sponsor Rep. Kam Buckner was being featured. Buckner is running for mayor and Lightfoot never so much as mentioned his name when she spoke and then maneuvered him to the side of the photo op during the bill-signing…
All class.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:30 am:
Kim Foxx will be the Mike Madigan in the mayoral race. “Kim Foxx and Lori Lightfoot are making Chicago less safe.” Just sayin.
- McGuppin - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:38 am:
Nice work Kam Buckner. Looking pretty Mayoral, huh?
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:40 am:
I wish I still lived in the city so I could vote against Lori Lightfoot.
- vern - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:40 am:
Deeply petty, undignified stuff from the Mayor here. None of her antics today will win her any votes, just more evidence of how hard she is to work with. Gravitas is part of leadership, and she has none.
- Jose Abreu's Next Homer - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:41 am:
She’s back from Texas? She should’ve stayed there.
- Immigrants Welcome - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:45 am:
Lori Lightfoot’s only talent appears to be making enemies of those who want to be her friend.
- MisterJayEm - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:46 am:
How long until Lightfoot declares another Lollapalooza loophole for the ghost gun ban?
– MrJM
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:46 am:
Pritzker: “Oh no, LL is here.”
- fs - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 11:47 am:
“She’s right behind me, isn’t she”
- Homebody - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 12:18 pm:
Lori looks at the freshly burned bridges in her wake and thinks to herself, “I know you can make charcoal briquettes out of burned wood. There HAS to be a way I can torch this again.”
- Captain Obvious - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 12:39 pm:
Way to sidestep responsibility JB. What, you couldn’t find a way to blame Rauner here too?
- Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 12:43 pm:
Don’t have a dog anywhere near this fight, but, Go Kam Buckner.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 12:54 pm:
=Way to sidestep responsibility JB.=
It isn’t his responsibility, police handle crime.
- thisjustinagain - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 12:55 pm:
What will they ban next?? Another lawsuit to follow challenging this latest violation of the right to keep and bear arms. So-called ghost guns are also legal under Federal law as personally-constructed and owned firearms. Illinois takes another step backwards while letting felons roam freely. Good luck local law enforcement, especially in Cook County.
- northsider (the original) - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 1:22 pm:
The look on JB’s face ought to be todays caption contest.
- ToddAF - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 1:47 pm:
Guess who’s notably blocked from view in the photo in Gov. Pritzker’s tweet, and also not mentioned in his thank you message: https://twitter.com/GovPritzker/status/1526967258647605251
- Dan Johnson - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 1:51 pm:
Congrats to Senator Collins, Rep Buckner and their colleagues for helping to reduce violence.
- Real - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:29 pm:
Well I don’t care for either but the better choice a few years ago was Precwinkle. The west and south side favored Precwinkle while the north and downtown favored Lightfoot. It will be the same for the Irvin disaster with downtown and Northside supporting him.
- Jocko - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:46 pm:
==The look on JB’s face ought to be today’s caption contest.==
::cue the ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ theme::
- Da big bad wolf - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:54 pm:
===What will they ban next?? Another lawsuit to follow challenging this latest violation of the right to keep and bear arms.===
Here is the bill. The bill doesn’t take away anyone’s right to own even a ghost gun as long as it has federal serial numbers on it. So no one is taking away anyone’s right to keep and bear arms. The serial numbers don’t affect the operation of the gun itself.
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=4383&GAID=16&SessionID=110&LegID=137678
- JS Mill - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:59 pm:
=A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.=
When did a militia need a ghost gun (muskets excluded of course)? I mean, going off of the plain language of the 2nd Amendment.
- Lefty Lefty - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:11 pm:
hisgirlfriday beat me to it. I might move back to the city just to vote against LL.
- FormerParatrooper - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:14 pm:
Plain reading at the link provided by Da big bad wolf, leaves a question. What exemptions are there to the rule?
From the Bill:
Provides exemptions and establishes penalties for violations. Effective immediately.
Antique firearms made prior to 1968 with serial numbers? They have manufacturers names and such just not serial numbers. A few would lose value if altered in this way as they are over 150 years old.
Hopefully they provide this information soon. I don’t want to be a felon for simply owning something without criminal intent that was not illegal when I bought them.
- Da big bad wolf - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:41 pm:
According to the ATF federal firearms dealers engrave the guns. I tried looking up to see if there are any exceptions for antique guns and I didn’t see any. However if you can’t legally sell a gun without a serial number, then it’s value would plummet, because you can’t sell it and nobody else can either.
- JoanP - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:01 pm:
@FormerParatrooper:
Da big bad wolf’s link was to a summary. On that page, there is a link to the full text:
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=110&GA=102&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=4383&GAID=16&LegID=137678&SpecSess=&Session=
Look at section (h)(2)
- Mason born - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:12 pm:
Paratrooper
Prior to October 22, 1968 firearms were not required to have serial numbers. This law follows federal practice and exempts those firearms from pre 68.
Question will be how hard it is for the legal owners to find an FFL willing to do the engraving and the cost to do it for an unfinished receiver. I also think the definition they use for an unfinished receiver is pretty vague “readily be completed” isn’t a very specific term to delineate paperweight vs receiver.
- Da big bad wolf - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:30 pm:
===and the cost to do it for an unfinished receiver.===
Here is a vender. I would think a FFL would need to have the equipment. Some FFLs might send the guns out to be engraved. It costs $20 and up according to this article. https://siegecrafter.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-get-a-gun-laser-engraved/
- FormerParatrooper - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:39 pm:
Da big bad wolf, JoanP’s link showed the info I missed. Thank you for the original link.
Thank you for the link, JoanP. As that is written, all of what I own are still legal.
Mason, my concern was a really old firearm, manufactured around 1770. I could not bear to deface a historical piece like that.
- Mason born - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:43 pm:
Da Big bad
$20 might do it. I called around a bit when this passed there’s only 2 groups of ffl’s that can do it and they’re a bit harder to find than just a phone book. ATF keeps a database you’ll need an 07 or 08 license to do it. Just sayin.
- Mason born - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:47 pm:
Formerparatrooper
And you won’t have to that would be an Antique Curio Relic and exempt totally from a 4473, serial number requirements, and a background check. Those you really can hand over cash, a lot of, and walk out with.
Pre 68 is usually capable of using modern ammo but just no Ser #. I have a couple old Stevens Doubles with no #’s work fine.
- Make It Make Sense - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 9:08 pm:
==When did a militia need a ghost gun==
Might want to look up the definition of “arms”. Here is a hint to help you out: it has nothing to do with human anatomy.
- lowdrag - Thursday, May 19, 22 @ 6:38 am:
Are these 28 cases of ghost guns really ghost guns or just the serial numbers have been filed off?
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 19, 22 @ 7:37 am:
=== Way to sidestep responsibility JB. What, you couldn’t find a way to blame Rauner here too?===
How is it sidestepping responsibility to make sure guns have serial numbers and can be traced by the police if there is a crime?
What does Rauner have to do with this issue?