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Just one more reason why we need better security at gun shops

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Illinois

The Illinois State Police has yet to certify any of the state’s gun dealers as required under a law Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed days after taking office in January.

The agency was supposed to begin issuing certifications to federally licensed gun dealers July 17, but the rules required to implement the law still haven’t been established. In the meantime, gun dealers that have applied under the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act are allowed to continue operating as if they’ve been certified. […]

Critics of the measure — including Rauner, who vetoed an earlier version — said the law was unnecessary because gun sellers already are licensed by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Illinois State Rifle Association has sued the state to block the law. […]

Under the law, gun dealers also are required to install surveillance cameras, maintain an electronic inventory, establish anti-theft measures and make sure employees go through annual training. But specific rules for those requirements also still must be established.

* That brings us to this story…

Authorities arrested a man on Monday who allegedly opened fired inside a Chicago VA hospital.

The unidentified man allegedly entered the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago with an assault rifle at around 2 p.m on Monday and began firing shots, according to the FBI. The agency said shots were fired both inside and outside the hospital.

* From the US Attorney’s office…

A convicted felon has been charged with a federal firearm violation for allegedly illegally possessing a semi-automatic rifle at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago.

BERNARD HARVEY, JR., 40, of Indianapolis, Ind., is charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Harvey illegally possessed the rifle on Aug. 12, 2019, at the medical center, 820 S. Damen Ave. in Chicago, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Harvey is scheduled to make an initial court appearance today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox.

Scroll down…

The rifle in Harvey’s possession at the VA medical center had been reported stolen last month from a federal firearms licensee in Indiana, the complaint states.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 2:25 pm

Comments

On the list of bad neighbors, Indiana sits just below North Korea.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 2:41 pm
I love how Republicans think the State and Locals should enforce Federal immigration laws, but they balk at the same State and Locals enforcing Federal gun laws.

Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 2:42 pm
The State Police seems to have some serious staffing issues. My FOID renewal took over 60 days. And certainly the State Police need to step up the effort on these certifications.

Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 2:45 pm
Sure seems to be a bunch of stories of lax gun laws and regulations in Indiana but for some reason we need to regulate guns and gun dealers in Illinois.

Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 2:49 pm
Indiana- putting guns in the hands of felons. I wonder what Mike Pence thinks of that? Besides thoughts and prayers….

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 2:51 pm
Nagidam, are you just not bright enough to figure out that federal oversight is probably not adequate?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 2:59 pm
I thought the problem was with Chuck’s Guns in Riverdale.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:09 pm
I think Nadigam is really suggesting we annex Indiana and regulate em!

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:10 pm
@ Rich Miller
When the stories I see say the majority of guns used in crimes were stolen from Illinois gun dealers then I will put the “Dunce Cap” on.

Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:14 pm
===I think Nadigam is really suggesting we annex Indiana and regulate em!===

If Mike Pence is all they have to offer then…no.

Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:17 pm
===say the majority of guns===

So… it has to be the majority? That’s so smart. Brilliant, even. No action until that’s the majority of the problem. You should run for office.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:20 pm
==On the list of bad neighbors, Indiana sits just below North Korea.==

I hear the roads are better in North Korea

Comment by Suburban Mom Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:28 pm
https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/mayor/Press%20Room/Press%20Releases/2017/October/GTR2017.pdf

If that link works, take a look at page 8, Nagidam. 40% of crime guns recovered in Chicago are from IL. 21% from Indiana. Then much smaller amounts from other states. Regulations in IL can make a difference.

Comment by Leslie K Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:39 pm
=I hear the roads are better in North Korea=

Well..that stands to reason, the President says the North Korean leader is a really smart gut.

Plus, North Korea and Indiana have the same great cuisine.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:41 pm
Nagidam

So what’s your threshhold for when it becomes a problem?

You are part of the problem and not the solution. I think the dunce cap fits you fine.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:42 pm
===On the list of bad neighbors, Indiana sits just below North Korea.===

As they laugh while taking our jobs, population, and have a $2 billion surplus.

Comment by Token Conservative Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:47 pm
@Leslie K,

The article I listed said the same thing, 60% of guns used in crimes came outside of Illinois and 40% in Illinois. But, a gun used in a crime doesn’t mean it was stolen from a gun dealer. That is what we are talking about. If you buy a gun at Chucks Gun shop and we get in an argument and you shoot me that is a crime. Chucks Gun Shop gets dinged in the statistics for selling that gun to you because of your actions.

Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:49 pm
@Demoralized

All good buddy. When you can articulate the problem we are talking about please come back to the discussion.

Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:50 pm
==When you can articulate the problem we are talking about ==

I believe it already has been. You don’t think there is a problem to be solved. I do.

And I would love an answer to my question. What is the threshhold for when it becomes a problem? You must have an idea since you don’t think there are any problems now worth fixing.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:52 pm
===$2 billion surplus===

… and yet they ignore the much needed road construction.

Huh.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:53 pm
Oh, and bite me

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:53 pm
@Willy…see 3:51.

Comment by Token Conservative Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:57 pm
Just because they are in a gun safe doesn’t mean they won’t get stolen. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kcra.com/amp/article/thieves-target-shingle-springs-gun-store/26744141

Comment by Trailblazer Alum Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 3:59 pm
@Demoralized

I will slow down my typing. The post here is about a gun being stolen in Indiana therefore we need better security at gun stores in Illinois. I pointed out that I just have not seen the stories data to say there is a problem of guns being stolen from gun stores in Illinois. Then someone discussed “Crime Guns” that just are not germane to the discussion.

=== Oh, and bite me===

Some wordsmith you are…Rich Miller you are not.

Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 4:02 pm
The only people less willing to engage in good faith discussion of gun laws than Illinois liberals are Illinois conservatives. It’s a battle of the fallacies, and everyone’s losing.

Describing a 9mm Ruger PC carbine as an “assault rifle” and thinking FFL is synonymous with a store front gun shop is almost as ridiculous as thinking that just because, in this particular case, the gun was stolen in Indiana that means we needn’t worry about working to prevent the issue in Illinois.

Comment by DualWieldingFederalism Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 4:37 pm
Under current law, however, ATF can do little more than offer voluntary suggestions to improve security at gun stores. Although ATF is the federal agency charged with licensing and regulating the gun industry, including licensed gun dealers, it does not have the authority to mandate that dealers implement any specific security measures designed to prevent theft.

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/guns-crime/reports/2017/07/25/436533/stolen-guns-america/

Comment by Mugwump Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 4:46 pm
=The only people less willing to engage in good faith discussion of gun laws than Illinois liberals are Illinois conservatives. It’s a battle of the fallacies, and everyone’s losing.=

x10

Comment by phenom_Anon Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 4:57 pm
Trailblazer Alum -
CA’s Legislature passed a law to require bollards / concrete barriers in front of doors and windows. Then Gov. Brown, Jr., vetoed the legislation.
https://www.thetrace.org/rounds/gun-store-burglaries-california-governor-jerry-brown-veto/

Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 5:25 pm
I think everyone misses the bigger picture. The root cause of gun violence is mental illness and ideology. No one wants to address that serious issue because it is not easy to deal with. What person in their right mind would go out and shoot up people for no apparent reason? A sane person? What about the guy running around stabbing people, the two who blew up the boston marathon, the guy who ran his truck into people in New York. Deal with the problem, not your political views of background checks that won’t change a thing.

Comment by Jeff Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 5:33 pm
=As they laugh while taking our jobs, population, and have a $2 billion surplus.=

Minimum wage job maybe.

Why have such a surplus? It seems to me that if they do not have a plan or need for the revenue then it should be abated. Keeping $2 billion that you don’t need and do not want to invest in the things they should annually is poor governance.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 5:34 pm
=== - Jeff - Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 5:33 pm:

I think everyone misses the bigger picture. The root cause of gun violence is mental illness and ideology. No one wants to address that serious issue because it is not easy to deal with. What person in their right mind would go out and shoot up people for no apparent reason? A sane person? What about the guy running around stabbing people, the two who blew up the boston marathon, the guy who ran his truck into people in New York. Deal with the problem, not your political views of background checks that won’t change a thing. ===

Winner.

Comment by Cadillac Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 6:16 pm
== Keeping $2 billion that you don’t need and do not want to invest in the things they should annually is poor governance. ==

lol. At least we don’t have THOSE problems.

Comment by Cadillac Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 6:18 pm
===Why have such a surplus? It seems to me that if they do not have a plan or need for the revenue then it should be abated. Keeping $2 billion that you don’t need and do not want to invest in the things they should annually is poor governance.===

Seriously?

Comment by Token Conservative Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 9:58 pm
If what Illinois really wants to do (please excuse the tinfoil hat), is to eliminate gun retailers altogether, then all it has to do is pass legislation stating that all shops must have storage on an “F” level safe rating. For illustration, most of the “gun safes” sold to the public are RSC (residential security container) rated, which pretty much means that most of them can only keep out someone armed with a ball peen hammer and a steel wedge for about ten minutes or so. Real security is very expensive, and very few sellers will be able (or want to) meet that level of protection. At that point, all you have to worry about, I guess, is Indiana.

I imagine the next step would be then, to apply the same type of rule to owners. California, I believe already has rules on the books for storage, but I’m sure Illinois won’t allow itself to be outdone. That should take care of most of the weapons already in circulation (at least for people who obey laws).

Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Wednesday, Aug 14, 19 @ 4:47 am
We have these exact same security measures at banks, yet people still rob banks. I don’t know why any of us are pretending that these measures will stop 100% of the thefts. There will always be instances like this story, unfortunately.

Comment by Dave W Wednesday, Aug 14, 19 @ 7:21 am
—- Just Me 2 - Tuesday, Aug 13, 19 @ 2:42 pm:

I love how Republicans think the State and Locals should enforce Federal immigration laws, but they balk at the same State and Locals enforcing Federal gun laws.—

No, a better example would be if Republicans were trying to add a bunch of additional state and local immigration laws on top of the existing federal laws.

Comment by Dave W Wednesday, Aug 14, 19 @ 7:23 am
“The root cause of gun violence is mental illness and ideology.”

And no other western nations has our gun violence because none of them have mental illness or ideology.

Makes perfect sense.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Aug 14, 19 @ 8:00 am