FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 16, 2022
G-PAC RESPONDS TO MASS SHOOTING IN BUFFALO ALONG WITH WEEKEND VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO
Advocates call on Governor J.B. Pritzker to sign ghost gun legislation after recovery of another unserialized weapon at Millennium Park with new Change.org petition
CHICAGO – The Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC) is responding to tragic news this weekend that thirty three people were shot in Chicago, five fatally, amid a national surge in gun violence.
“Americans have witnessed more than 200 mass shootings so far in 2022, and we are just beginning the summer months when gun violence tends to increase with warmer temperatures. From a New York supermarket to a California church to a top tourist attraction in Chicago, we must take action to combat this proliferation of senseless gun violence that is taking too many lives,” said Kathleen Sances, President and CEO of G-PAC.
One of several shootings in Chicago resulted in a sixteen-year-old being shot to death and two teenagers being taken into police custody. A ghost gun was recovered from one of the teenagers at Millennium Park. G-PAC is urging Governor Pritzker to sign legislation to make ghost guns illegal in Illinois and has launched a new Change.org petition to invite residents to join the call.
“It is abundantly clear that guns do not make our nation safer. Untraceable weapons can be bought online and built at home, skirting all gun laws and arming people who should not have access to a deadly firearm,” continued Sances. “Additionally, a ghost gun was recovered from a teenager who was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a sixteen-year-old in Millennium Park. Because the gun is untraceable, it’s impossible to know where it came from and for law enforcement to stop these weapons at the source. Legislation championed by G-PAC, advocates and victims would make ghost guns illegal in Illinois, and the bill is awaiting action by the governor. G-PAC urges Governor Pritzker to sign this life-saving legislation into law immediately.”
Amid the surge of violence, a candidate for governor took to social media with calls to “VOID THE FOID,” extremist language which seeks to rile supporters of the gun lobby.
“Despite multiple tragedies over the weekend, G-PAC is horrified that a candidate for statewide office is spewing extremist views on social media. Calls to ‘void the FOID’ are dangerous and utterly tone deaf while our fellow residents are losing their lives due to gun violence. We condemn this extremist position in the strongest of terms,” concluded Sances.
###
About Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC)
The Gun Violence Prevention Political Action Committee (G-PAC) is the state’s leading gun violence advocacy organization. It was founded in 2013 to counter the political influence of the gun industry and their lobby in Springfield.
MEDIA CONTACT: ahanns@kivvit.com