Chicago Police: Over 5,000 Illegal Guns Seized in 2013

The Chicago Police Department and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced last week that over 5,000 illegal firearms have been seized by officers so far this year. 

Emanuel and Superintendent Garry McCarthy used that number to argue that stronger state and federal gun control laws are needed to keep the weapons off our city streets. 

“While we are making progress in reducing violence and crime, there’s certainly much more work to be done, and a key piece of public safety is keeping illegal guns out of our communities and out of the hands of dangerous criminals,” Emanuel said in a news release. “Beyond strategic policing, stronger prevention, and more stable parenting, we also need stiffer penalties for the dangerous criminals carrying and using illegal weapons.”

McCarthy remarked that "fewer shootings, fewer murders and less crime" have taken place in the city this year, but still pressed on about the need for tougher gun laws. 

“We will continue our strategic efforts, working closely with the community, but to build on our reductions in crime and violence for the long-term our state needs better laws that keep illegal guns out of our communities and punish the criminals who carry them,” McCarthy said. 

According to the Chicago Police Department, more illegal firearms are confiscated by police in this city than any other in the nation. 

In a news release, officials made the claim that so far this year "131 individuals who were either a victim or offender in a murder or shooting and who would not have been on the streets if Illinois had tougher sentencing or truth in sentencing laws in effect."

Emanuel and McCarthy laid out their five steps to reducing gun violence as follows: 

• Requiring the reporting of the transfer of guns
• The creation of a three-year sentence for illegal gun possession and truth in sentencing for gun crimes in Illinois
• A federal universal background checks for gun sales
• A federal ban on assault weapons
• A federal ban on high capacity magazines.