On Sunday morning, around 12:30 a.m. at a Juneteenth Celebration gone bad, at least 21 people were shot, one of them fatally. This shooting is yet another example of failed firearms laws in gun-controlled Illinois.
Reportedly, the state already has a red flag law, a 72-hour waiting period, a “high capacity” magazine ban, an “assault weapons” ban, and a gun owner licensing requirement via the Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card system, among other controls. As previously argued and this demonstrates, gun laws do not necessarily equate to safety.
According to a report by CNN which stated that, the shooting occurred-
“in a parking lot in Willowbrook, about 21 miles west of Chicago.”…“At least 22 people were injured and one person was killed by gunfire overnight in Illinois, in a peaceful Juneteenth celebration turned deadly, police say. An unknown number of suspects fired multiple rounds from multiple weapons into the large crowd of people gathered to celebrate Juneteenth, according to a statement from the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.”
-“Several other victims were injured in the chaos as people attempted to flee the area, and victims are being treated at hospitals in the area, the sheriff’s office said. No suspects are in custody, police said.”
Pointing out that two of the wounded remain in critical condition, FOX 32 Chicago described the event gone bad, as
“…a gathering near Hinsdale Lake Terrace that began around 6 p.m. and police were in the area monitoring the celebration. DuPage County deputies were nearby when they heard the gunshots and responded. They were told a fight had broken out before the gunfire erupted.”
A witness on scene, Craig Lotcie, said people were gathered at a party when shots rang out. "It was chaos," Lotcie said.”
-Fox 32 Chicago
In a video of the crime scene, in the early hours of the investigation, it showed trash strewn all over the area, and what appeared to be a flag, used to symbolize Juneteenth, hanging on a vehicle. No information has been released on the number of shooters involved in the incident.
DuPage County Sheriff’s Deputy, Chief Eric Swanson said of the investigation that, preliminary witness and victim reports indicate at least 20 individuals suffered gunshot wounds, and confirmed that one victim has died. He also added that
“The motive behind this incident is unclear and this is still an active investigation.”
-DuPage County Sheriff’s Deputy, Chief Eric Swanson
It would seem that the advanced firearms laws, that now exist in the state of Illinois, meant little to and / or were of no consequence to the multiple shooters, that were purported to have been at this event. Laws only apply, to the law-abiding citizens. Those who are not law-abiding do not care. This event is one more example of lawlessness, expressed in a state with a high degree of gun control. Again, this demonstrates that gun laws do not necessarily equate to safety.
“Those who suppress freedom always do so in the name of law and order.”
-John Lindsay