ISRA PVF Press Release:
Proposed Cook County Gun Control Ordinance a Case Study in Politically Motivated Deceit

CHICAGO, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the ISRA Political Victory Fund (ISRA-PVF):

The ISRA-PVF is labeling a proposed Cook County gun control ordinance a, "deceitful exercise in election year politics." Introduced by County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, the ordinance would force federally licensed gun shops in Cook County to adhere to a new set of restrictions that would make conducting business impossible.

"Commissioner Suffredin is making gun control the centerpiece of his campaign for Cook County State's Attorney," said ISRA-PVF spokesman, Richard Pearson. "His deceitful justification for advancing his gun shop ordinance demonstrates that his campaign is rotten to the core."

"Suffredin claims that federally licensed firearm dealers in Cook County are illegally supplying criminals with weapons," continued Pearson. "If that were true, one would have expected to see federal authorities shut these shops down and arrest their owners. Well, none of the shops targeted by Suffredin have been shut down by the feds and their owners have not been arrested. The reason for no arrests or shutdowns is that Suffredin's allegations are nothing but lies."

"By focusing on the non-issue of gun shops, Suffredin is conveniently ignoring the factor that has the greatest impact on violent crime rates," commented Pearson. "According to the Chicago Police Department, 88% of murderers and 76% of murder victims have previous criminal records. A reasonable person would likely ask why criminals are so likely to be either a perpetrator or a victim in a murder case. The answer is quite simple - the justice system is either unwilling or unable to rehabilitate these dangerous people. Federally-licensed gun shops are not the problem, the revolving door justice system is clearly at fault."

"Suffredin's long standing hatred of guns and the people who own them has clouded his ability to address the issues important to the citizens of Cook County," said Pearson. "Thus, he is unqualified to serve as the State's Attorney for Cook County. The ISRA-PVF will work vigorously against Suffredin's candidacy this election season."

The ISRA-PVF is a political action committee affiliated with the Illinois State Rifle Association. A copy of our report is available for a fee from the Illinois State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.

This press release is posted on USNewswire. (external link)

Posted Mon Dec 3 12:38:52 CST 2007

Suffredin Unveils Ordinance to Reign [sic] in Gun Shops

Chuck's Gun Shop on List of Shops Affected by Legislation
CHICAGO, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Citing the senseless loss of liferesulting from random gun violence, Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredintook a giant step today toward reducing the number of handguns on the streetsof Chicago and Cook County by introducing an ordinance that would restrict thelocation where gun shops in suburban Cook County can operate.

"I am tired of business as usual. I am tired of picking up the paper orturning on the news to see reports about innocent children gunned down in coldblood, because some gang member bought a gun at their local gun shop,"Suffredin said. "For nearly thirty years, I have fought for sensible gunlaws. Whether it was against the NRA or legislative leaders, I fought to passlaws to keep guns off our streets."

"The documentation is clear that Chuck's Gun Shop and similar stores insuburban Cook County are the source of guns that are used in violent crimethroughout Cook County," Suffredin said. "As a home rule unit, Cook Countyhas the legal right to regulate where these establishments are allowed tooperate. Chuck's Gun Shop is within one mile of a school which will not beallowed once this ordinance passes."

A 2004 study by the group, Americans for Gun Safety, reported that, basedon statistics provided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms,between 1996 and 2000, 2,370 guns sold at Chuck's Gun Shop had been used in acrime, one of which resulted in the death of a Chicago Police Officer. OtherCook County gun shops were cited in the report as being peddlers ofcrime-linked firearms including, Suburban Sporting Goods, in Melrose Park.

Suffredin was joined at the press conference by Rev. Michael Pfleger,pastor of St. Sabina's Parish, Jennifer Bishop of the Brady Campaign AgainstGun Violence, Barbara McKee, President of the Illinois Million Mom March,Annette Holt, Ronald Holt, Gloria Padron, Serita Villareal, and Steve Young,all relatives of gun victims, Garrett Evans, Virginia Tech shooting survivor,and Jamie Barnett and Jason Daniels, of UCAN's Visible Man Project.

"Finding a way to stop the flow of guns is critical to reducing the tragicloss of life in our communities," Bishop said. "How many children have to diebefore our leaders take the steps necessary to get guns off our streets?Commissioner Suffredin's ordinance is long overdue."

The proposed ordinance would amend the Cook County Deadly Weapons DealerControl Ordinance and would:

-- Remove the exemptions for municipalities, like Riverdale, that passed less restrictive ordinances in order to avoid the provisions of the existing Weapons Ordinance;
-- Extend the restriction on gun shops within one mile of a school or park to all municipalities within Cook County.
-- Increase the distance required between licensed weapons dealers from five to ten miles.
-- Ban gun shows completely in Cook County.
SOURCE Commissioner Larry SuffredinLarry Suffredin, +1-312-603-6383

Suffredin's press release is posted here.

Posted Mon Dec 3 12:36:21 CST 2007

Girl, 7, shot 6 times saving mom

Norman Sinclair, Santiago Esparza and Jennifer Mrozowski / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- A 7-year-old-girl is being hailed as an "angel from heaven" and a hero for jumping in front of an enraged gunman, who pumped six bullets into the child as she used her body as a shield to save her mother's life.

Alexis Goggins, a first-grader at Campbell Elementary School, is in stable condition at Children's Hospital in Detroit recovering from gunshot wounds to the eye, left temple, chin, cheek, chest and right arm.

"She is an angel from heaven," said Aisha Ford, a family friend for 15 years who also was caught up in the evening of terror.

The girl's mother, Selietha Parker, 30, was shot in the left side of her head and her bicep by a former boyfriend, who police said was trying to kill Parker. The gunman was disarmed by police and arrested at the scene of the shooting, a Detroit gas station. Police identified him as Calvin Tillie, 29, a four-time convicted felon whom Parker had dated for six months.

Parker, who was treated and released at Detroit Receiving Hospital, is now at her daughter's bedside. She declined to comment Tuesday.

The drama began to unfold just before midnight Saturday, when Parker called Ford and asked if she and Alexis could spend the night at Ford's home.

"She said she had no heat and they were very cold, and I said , sure I'll come and get you," Ford said.

Ford said she drove her burgundy 1998 Ford Expedition to Parker's home on Dwyer. She said as Parker and Alexis walked up to her vehicle she saw a man on the porch, who she assumed was a furnace repairman. She said Alexis, who walks with a limp, slipped momentarily on the icy sidewalk and as she helped the girl up, she saw the man and recognized him as Tillie. He was holding a gun.

Tillie ordered them into the vehicle, cursed at the women and angrily told Ford to drive him to Six Mile Road, she said.

"He looked like he was enraged and didn't care what he did. I knew if we went to Six Mile, he would kill us," Ford said. Instead, she told him she needed gas and drove to the Fast Stop Gas station in the 5000 block of East Seven Mile Road, a station that requires customers to pay the attendant inside.

"I figured if he got out to pump the gas, I was going to take off," Ford said.

Instead, Tillie gave her $10 and told her put in $5 worth of gas.

Ford said she dialed 911 on her cell phone as she walked into the station.

"The first operator clicked off and I dialed again and told that operator a guy with a gun was holding me hostage with a mother and baby and threatening to kill us. I told her the name of the gas station and then she said they didn't have a unit to send."

Ford said she paid for $5 of gas and slowly returned to the vehicle, stalling for time as she handed Tillie the change. She said she kept stopping and starting the pump, hoping the police would show up.

"I told him I needed more gas and took money out of my purse and went back into the station," she said. The attendant, Mohammad Alghazali, 30, said he noticed Ford was crying and she told him what was happening. He called 911 as he heard shots coming from the vehicle.

"It was very scary. She (Ford) was scared and screaming when the guy was shooting. I was scared, too. I was on the phone talking to the police when he started shooting," he said

Parker told police that Tillie said Ford was taking too long

She said she pleaded with him but he pointed the gun at her and shot her in the side of the head. She told police she was shot in the arm as she lunged at Tillie.

Before Tillie could fire again, Alexis jumped over the seat between her mother and the gunman and begged him not to shoot her mother.

The police report said Tillie "without hesitation" pumped six shots into the child.

As police arrived, they saw Parker, covered in blood, running from the truck, screaming, "He just shot my baby."

The officers said Tillie came out to the vehicle holding a blue steel 9 mm semi automatic and dropped the weapon when ordered to do so. Officers said they found Alexis huddled on the floor under the steering wheel, covered in blood, surrounded by spent cartridge casings, a spent bullet on the floor and teeth on the seat. There were bullet holes in the windshield and blood inside.

Alghazali said a police car on a street nearby arrived in less than a minute after his call.

Marvin Bodley, a Detroit Public Schools attendance agent, spent two days at Alexis' hospital bedside and said it's miraculous that she's alive.

"What a courageous, courageous little girl," he said. "You see more bandages than child," he said. "It's a horrific sight."

Bodley said Alexis receives special education services at school, in part because of a weak left eye, which is the result of a massive stroke she suffered as an infant.

Ford said doctors at the time had predicted that when Alexis got older she would have trouble with tasks such as writing, but she is now able to write her name.

"She is a good little girl who is very protective of her mother," said Tonya Colbert, Parker's cousin.

Tillie is being held in the Wayne County Jail facing kidnapping, assault with intent to murder, child abuse, felony firearms and habitual criminal charges.

A preliminary examination is scheduled for Dec. 13.