WASHINGTON A third of all Illinois guns traced last year -including the one that killed Chicago police rookie Daniel Doffyn; -came from other states, a congressional study released Wednesdayfound.
Mississippi - where the gun used in Doffyn's killing waspurchased - and Indiana led the list of states supplying Illinoiswith guns traced by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco andFirearms.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) joined House and Senate members incalling for legislation that would toughen penalties againstunlicensed gun importers.Interstate 55 has become "a one-way firearms freeway" intothe state, declared Durbin, who campaigned for the Senate ongun-control issues. The leading states of origin in the study allhave weaker gun laws than Illinois, he said.Tanya Mataksa, chief lobbyist for the National RifleAssociation, accused Durbin of seeking publicity with hislegislation. She noted a 1968 law set a five-year penalty forselling guns across state lines. She said police need to increaseenforcement.Rep. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Durbin and Sen. RobertTorricelli (D-N.M.) conceded that a law exists, but argued theirmeasure seeks mandatory penalties and is more enforceable.Under the proposal, transporting and selling five or more gunsacross state lines would elicit a three-year jail sentence. If thegun was used in a crime, the owner would be subject to a mandatory10-year term.The study found 35 percent of all Illinois guns traced last year- 1,596 Illinois weapons - came from outside the state. The statesof origin included Mississippi (306), Indiana (306), Texas (105) andWisconsin (104).
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