From 2009 to 2013, more than 1,500 guns recovered in crimes in Chicago were traced to a single gun dealer: Chuck’s Gun Shop & Pistol Range in Riverdale, Illinois. In fact, Chuck’s is part of a small group of gun dealers responsible for selling the overwhelming majority of guns used to commit violence and crime in Chicago and cities across the country.
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The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is committed to stopping “bad apple” gun dealers and we are partnering with the communities most impacted by the guns that they sell to hold them accountable for their reckless and irresponsible practices.
This Saturday at 10 a.m., Brady will unite with hundreds of victims, activists, and community leaders, including Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., to hold a massive protest in front of Chuck’s to bring attention to the devastation they are causing, and to demand that they change their “bad apple” ways.
The protesters will call on Chuck’s to adopt Brady’s code of conduct, a short list of sensible business practices to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
The Brady Campaign led a protest at Chuck’s for the first time last September, as the kick-off event for its national Stop Bad Apple Gun Dealers campaign. The campaign includes protests at “bad apple” gun dealers nationwide as well as lawsuits on behalf of victims who have suffered tragedies as a result of guns that are negligently sold to criminals, straw purchasers, or traffickers.
Since Chuck’s has refused to adopt responsible business practices, Brady is turning up the heat, joined by advocates from community organizations including Rainbow/PUSH, Chicago Citizens for Change, the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, Hadiya’s Promise, Kids Off the Block, and Purpose Over Pain.
June is National Gun Violence Prevention Awareness month and through Brady’s Stop Bad Apple Gun Dealers campaign, we can help bring awareness to the problem of gun violence, and to an opportunity that we all have to help prevent it.
Dan Gross, president, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Easy targets
Why do the lawmakers always pick on troubled kids, the poor and the elderly? Because these people have LESS means to fight back!
Jennifer Mahoney, Richton Park
Appalling move
The move by Tampa Bay ownership to apply a dress code banning Blackhawks apparel is appalling to say the least.
Ken Karlson, Wheaton
Think of the children
Well, they have tried bringing in school superintendent candidates from outside Chicago gave them obscene salaries and it did not work. Mayor Rahm Emanuel must find someone within CPS who knows Chicago, the system and the students. Someone who has roots in Chicago, has experience within our school system whose loyalty with be with the students! No charter school people and certainly no one who has privatizing on his mind. We must think of the children not “what’s in it for me” types,
Ann M. Gutierrez, Bridgeport
