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In wake of Washington Park mass shooting, G-PAC repeats call for “ban on weapons of war”

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Illinois

* G-PAC…

Two people were killed and seven injured in a mass shooting in Chicago’s Washington Park on Tuesday night. With at least 43 shell casings recovered at the scene, police said an automatic weapon was likely used in the attack. The public is being urged to help find the shooter.

This week’s incident is the 30th mass shooting to take place in the state of Illinois since Memorial Day of this year, which in total have taken 23 lives and injured 146 people according to the Gun Violence Archive.

“Mass shootings have taken place in Illinois once every four days since Memorial Day — a horrible reality that we must not accept. Legislative support has grown for a ban on weapons of war like the ones likely used in the shooting at Washington Park — assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, which make instances of violence exponentially more deadly,” said Kathleen Sances, President and CEO of the Gun Violence Prevention PAC.

“G-PAC continues to push state leaders to pass these common-sense policies at their earliest opportunity. In order to do so, we must also work to protect and expand the gun safety majorities in the Illinois General Assembly so that this legislation and other violence prevention measures can be passed and signed into law. We are encouraged by the support of state leaders and lawmakers thus far and will continue our direct advocacy to make Illinois a safer state.”

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 3:18 pm

Comments

An “automatic weapon” that was likely used in the attack could have been a handgun (or handguns) with an extended magazine and a “switch” - a small mechanical device that goes on the outside of the gun and effectively converts it into an automatic.

Saying this as a supporter of gun safety regulations, background checks and banning AR-15 style rifles, what GPAC is asking for would have at best marginal effect.

Doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be done, just let’s not kid ourselves that it’s going to make any difference in shutting off gun supply with all the gun-loving freedumb states surrounding Illinois.

Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 3:58 pm
So much to comment on here. If the weapon used in Washington park was truly an “automatic weapon” - it is illegal to own/possess unless one has undergone a super restrictive BATFE background check and paid an expensive transfer tax - very few are issued and it takes 2-plus years to get licensed. The next issue is the call for a “ban on weapons of war like the ones likely used in the shooting at Washington Park — assault weapons and large-capacity magazines”. That would indicate a ban on sporting rifles or as they are often known Semi-automatic rifles. These weapons (Semi-auto rifles and modular pistols) are meant for civilians and have a proven and very old firing g mechanism - they are not the choice of the military, they are in common use and represent the most popular weapons sold. The large-capacity magazine ban is particularly problematic as most pistols come with a 10-plus round magazine as standard equipment. With Heller, Mcdonald, and Bruen these types of infringements on what is clearly an individual 2A right would be ruled unconstitutional by SCOTUS.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 4:00 pm
At this point, SCOTUS is just doing whatever they want with no regard for the constitution. Heller went in the face of all previous gun law interpretation by the courts, and when control of the court goes the other way it will be overturned.

Comment by The Velvet Frog Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 4:08 pm
Yes, these weapons should be banned. But the gun worshippers have won. They’ve stacked the court with phony originalists who will prevent meaningful change. People are dying and will continue to die for the profits of gun manufacturers and donations to the MAGA GOP.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 4:33 pm
I would be sincerely interested to know who they heard from that said “an automatic weapon was likely used.”

Set aside any gun control debate, if I go to a shooting range, I can fire enough rounds to make a pile of 40 shell casings in probably a minute or two, if I were so inclined. I haven’t touched an automatic weapons of any kind in the nearly-30-years since I left the military. But if the police, for whatever reason, walked up to the shooting range and saw a pile of brass, would they assume it was from an automatic weapon?

The amount of rounds fired - and casings left behind - is never going to be a solid indicator of the speed of those rounds being fired. And anyone with an ounce of professional knowledge will tell you the exact same thing.

Comment by Mike Sorensen Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 5:34 pm
Glad to answer your question.

“At least 43 shell casings were recovered, and Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said an automatic weapon was likely used in the attack.”

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/9/13/23352293/police-multiple-people-shot-washington-park-chicago

Comment by The Velvet Frog Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 6:57 pm
yes. do it. often…like here…those opposed will start dragging the conversation into the metal device weeds parsing cause and effect. the bottom line is we know what kills and kills fast. otherwise why would the gun nuts want those devices? Ban them.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 8:15 pm
Frog: no your wrong, you obviously didn’t take time to read Heller and its discussion of the topic.

Amalia: feel free to try. Many of us our past arguing about it. 3 court decisions won’t change your opinion so We sit and wait as we file suit after suit to reign in all these abuses. two courts in Colorado have already issued TROs against local semi-auto bans.

quite frankly, your side isn’t asking the right questions. If you think you can pass a ban how are you going to enforce it? you force every cop to either completely enforce the law against their neighbors and parishioners and others or look the other way. We already have what 30 some sanctuary counties whole lot of cops ain’t gonna enforce squat.

Second, many of us are just fed up with the gun control BS. If we are a nation of laws, and that includes the rulings handed down by SCOTUS, if the legislature can thumb their nose at that, then gun owners are starting to thumb their nose at the legislature. Come to think of it the no cash bail thing might work in their favor. no prior criminal record, discretion of cops. . .

So I say keep pushing, we’ll go back to court and I predict that in 18 months, you will have less than you have today. No FOID, no gun bans (local as we don’t have a statewide one) and every other piece of red tape we can dismantle through the courts.

Comment by Todd Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 9:42 pm
>>>>>Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said an automatic weapon was likely used in the attack.

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown was likely not present during the attack.

Comment by We've never had one before Thursday, Sep 15, 22 @ 10:06 pm