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Donald Trump's Son: Chicago Has Toughest Gun Laws in Nation. Do We?

By DNAinfo Staff | July 20, 2016 9:06am | Updated on July 20, 2016 9:26am
 Donald Trump Jr. at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Donald Trump Jr. at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
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Getty Images/Joe Raedle

CHICAGO — Speaking at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland Tuesday night, Donald J. Trump Jr. touched on Chicago, saying the city has "the toughest gun laws in our nation."

Do we?

Chicago Police have disputed that, saying it is a common misconception that Chicago has the country's strictest gun control, and the department's officials have contended that gang members face worse sanctions from their gangs for losing a gun than they do by the courts for illegally possessing one.

Police have also emphasized that most guns used in Chicago crimes were bought outside of the city or state, where regulations are not as strict.

Click here for our in-depth examination of Chicago's gun laws.

During his speech boosting his father for president of the United States, the junior Trump argued that gun laws do not reduce violent crime "because criminals by definition don't follow laws." He said his father's likely Democratic opponent in the general election, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is "a risk Americans can’t afford to take," charging "she’ll issue executive orders to take away Americans’ guns."

"She wants to appoint judges who will abolish the Second Amendment," the son said.

"Just look at how effective those laws have been in inner-city Chicago, a city with the toughest gun laws in our nation, where 70 people were murdered last month alone and where over 3,400 American lives have been lost since this administration took office in 2009," he said.

"You know why those laws fail? Because criminals by definition don’t follow laws. Rather than prosecuting real criminals, she would strip hardworking, law-abiding citizens of their rights to protect themselves and their families."

Factcheck.org says that claims that Clinton wants to "abolish the Second Amendment" are a distortion of her position. Click here for the factcheck.org analysis.

 

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