U.S. District Court Strikes Down Chicago's Unconstitutional Ban on Firearms Sales

Upholds Second Amendment Rights

Today, Judge Edmond E. Chang of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, ruled that the City of Chicago's ordinance banning virtually all sales and transfers of firearms inside city limits violates the Second Amendment and is therefore unconstitutional. In his ruling, Judge Chang noted the Second Amendment right to "keep and bear arms" includes the right to acquire firearms.

As the court stated, "Chicago's ordinance goes too far in outright banning legal buyers and legal dealers from engaging in lawful acquisitions and lawful sales of firearms, and at the same time the evidence does not support that the complete ban sufficiently furthers the purposes that the ordinance tries to serve [protecting its citizens]." 

The case was brought against the City of Chicago and Mayor Rahm Emanuel by the Illinois Association of Firearms Retailers; Kenneth Pacholski; Kathryn Tyler; and Michael Hall, with the strong support of the National Rifle Association.

"Today's ruling is a vindication of the constitutional freedoms of Chicago's law-abiding citizens," said Chris W. Cox, Executive Director of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action. "Chicago's continued refusal to follow the U.S. Supreme Court's clear directive in its landmark ruling in McDonald v. City of Chicago is unacceptable, and the NRA will continue to challenge the City until it fully respects the right of its law-abiding residents to keep and bear arms."  

-NRA-
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Be sure to follow the NRA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NationalRifleAssociation and on Twitter @NRA.