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McCarthy Blasts Indiana Gun Laws: 'Our Violence Problem is a Gun Problem'

By  Mina Bloom and Mauricio Peña | October 10, 2014 9:44am | Updated on October 11, 2014 8:19am

 McCarthy emphasized that both guns were from Indiana.
McCarthy emphasized that both guns were from Indiana.
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DNAinfo/Mauricio Pena

CHICAGO — This week, two Chicago Police Officers were shot, a man was killed in an Englewood standoff and a man opened fire on an "L" platform — and the gunmen in both cases got their weapons from Indiana, according to Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy.

At a press conference Thursday, McCarthy slammed Illinois' neighbor to the east for its gun laws.

"This is unfortunately another example that fits the pattern of straw purchasing, and leads to violence on Chicago streets," he said. "It happens time and again where a convicted felon, like ... gets somebody else, perhaps a girlfriend or family member, to buy a gun for them because they are not allowed to do it legally."

On Tuesday, an Englewood police district captain and another officer was injured while trying to arrest a wanted man from Indiana. Daniel Brown, 42, was charged for shooting the veteran officer and killing another man during the stand-off.

"The firearm Brown used on Tuesday was legally purchased by his girlfriend from a store in Indiana in November 2012," McCarthy said at the press conference. "I want to repeat that: the gun used to shoot a police captain was legally purchased in Indiana."

Just days later, Lorenzo Jones, 25, of the 7500 block of South Luella Avenue, opened fire on a Blue Line train at the LaSalle Street station, according to police.

Jones used an "assault weapon-type rifle" that was stolen from Indiana and had at least 60 bullets on him, McCarthy said.

"You hear me say it all the time and you're going to hear me say it again, our violence problem is a gun problem," McCarthy said. "More than 20 percent of guns recovered here, come from Indiana. Here's another one that almost killed two police officers."

Te Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association could not be reached for comment.

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