Highland Park Suspect’s FOID Card Application Sponsored by Father Months After Knives Confiscated

The Highland Park shooting suspect’s Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card application was sponsored by his father months after knives were confiscated from the family home.

Breitbart News noted that police seized knives and a sword from the Highland Park shooting suspect in September 2019.

Lake County Major Crime Task Force Sgt. Christopher Covelli said, “A family member reported that [the suspect] said he was going to kill everyone and [the suspect] had a collection of knives. The police responded to his residence. The police removed 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword from [the suspect’s family’s] home.”

Illinois State Police Master Sergeant Delilah Garcia indicated Tuesday that Illinois State Police did a data search on the suspect following the September 2019 incident and saw he did not have a pending FOID card application, so no action was taken.

Months later the suspect applied for a FOID card. His father sponsored the application because the suspect was only 20 years old.

Newsweek reports that the Illinois State Police reviewed the suspect’s application in January 2020 and did not find sufficient evidence to reject it.

The Washington Post notes that Illinois State Police released a statement on their decision to allow the application to proceed, noting that the suspect had a sponsor: “The subject was under 21 and the application was sponsored by the subject’s father.”

The Illinois State Police added, “Therefore, at the time of FOID application review in January of 2020, there was insufficient basis to establish a clear and present danger and deny the FOID application.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.