Though it will increase the total number of gun deaths by 2. Even though this was done during a criminal act.
And, some will count the death of the 22yr old as "death of a child due to a handgun".
As long as the criminals have a free and open exchange of illegal guns nothing in the city of Chicago will ever change.
I think this probably represents the feelings of as lot of people, on both side of the issue, but, I don't think it is actually accurate. Over time, things will change. From what I can see, things
have changed, and
not for the better.
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre was so horrific and shocking it not only made national news, it made the history books. Seven (7) people were shot to death, and all were gangsters (no innocent bystanders were shot). Huge, shocking news, the level of violence...then.
Today, in Chicago, 7 people shot and killed is...Tuesday...
(sarcasm intentional)
Criminals in Capone's era had MORE access to guns than they do today. They had "free and open exchange of LEGAL guns." In 1929 there was no law making a convicted felon a prohibited person for life, or even, at all. ANYONE with the money could walk into a store, plunk down the cash and walk out with any kind of firearm, INCLUDING Tommyguns (full auto submachine guns), and the only paperwork involved was the sales receipt.
Yet more people (and by percentages not just number totals) are shot and killed today than were then. SOMETHING has changed, lots of somethings, actually, but I don't think that gun control is the "controlling" factor. If you think it is, then explain how, over the past 90+ years, the gun control that is claimed to reduce/prevent "gun violence" has actually brought us MORE gun violence.
Hard to tell sometimes where folks are coming from and if they are making a joke or dead serious. On other online forums it is etiquette to post a smiley at the end of the post to kinda give others a hint of where you are at.
we do it here, too. IF people bother to use them.
Also IMHO, if the person is ever found that sold/gave the gun to the perp, he too, should be charged with the same crimes as the perp, and then some.
I understand the sentiment, but disagree with the particulars. Especially when the sentiment leads to laws where people who have their guns STOLEN are being held accountable for any crimes committed with the stolen gun(s). this HAS happened. Such a law exists in my state, but has not yet been enforced (90% of the state's sheriffs have stated they won't enforce it) and is being challenged in court …
I don't think that KNOWINGLY providing a firearm to a felon should put one facing the same charges as the felon. I'd be ok with charging the illegal gun supplier with accessory to the crime, but not the crime, itself. And, I'm totally fine with making the penalty for supplying the gun illegally equal to the penalty for what ever crime(s) the felon commits with it.
Consider what the effect might be, if instead of facing a few years jail for breaking a firearms law (illegally providing a gun) the criminal dealer faced the same 20-to life sentence the robber he armed does. Might not make any real difference I suppose, other than driving up the price of the illegal gun..
Guns, drugs, liquor, or light bulbs, as long as people want, and will pay for any banned or restricted thing, there will be an illegal market, and no government anywhere, ever, has been able to stop that. The most vigorous enforcement and the harshest punishments have never stopped it. They may drive it further underground, may reduce it in scale, or degree, but it is always there, until the demand goes away.