Pritzker: Ban Assault Weapons, High Capacity-Magazines Nationally

Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that assault weapons and high-capacity magazines need to be banned nationally in the wake of the mass shooting in Highland Park, IL on the Fourth of July.

Pritzker said, “We need to ban assault weapons, not just in the state of Illinois but nationally, and then high-capacity magazines. There’s no reason why someone should have 90 bullets at the ready, 30 in each of the cartridges that he used. And that’s just something I don’t think civilians should have. And I’ve talked to police since the shooting who would tell you that the size the caliber of the bullets that were being fired is much larger than the size, caliber, and speed of bullets than even police carry with them. Why do civilians need this? The name of the weapon that this shooter was using is the Smith & Wesson M&P 15. You know what M&P stands for? Military and police, and that’s who, perhaps, should have these weapons, not civilians being able to just walk in and buy one.”

Anchor Jake Tapper said, “So, even after all the warning signs, the shooter’s father sponsored his son’s application for the gun license. He now says he thought his son’s earlier threat to kill everyone was just a childish outburst. Is it possible that the parents might be charged with something?”

Pritzker said, “Well, listening to the state’s attorney in Lake County, it does not sound like that will happen, but no final conclusion has been reached. I certainly think that it’s possible that the father could be held civilly liable. But at this point, anyway, the authorities are saying that no charges have yet been decided upon.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN