Evanston Council Approves Assault Weapons Ban

After weeks of comment from impassioned supporters and opponents of a proposed assault weapons ban, Evanston city council members approved the ban unanimously Monday night. 

The ordinance bans “the possession, transfer, sale or display” of assault weapons in the city, and contains an extensive definition of what constitutes an assault weapon, based in part on language used by the City of Chicago and Cook County, as well as the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.

Evanston aldermen first asked the law department to craft an ordinance prohibiting assault weapons in June, after the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation that would allow concealed carry in Illinois and also prohibit local assault weapons bans, unless those bans were enacted before, on or within 10 days of the date the bill went into effect. That meant Evanston and other home rule municipalities had a brief window of time during which they could pass an assault weapons ban.

City council members discussed the proposed ban last week, but sent the ordinance back for another draft after Ald. Don Wilson pointed out that the ordinance mainly discussed cosmetic features of assault weapons, not the functional aspects that actually make such weapons especially dangerous.

Dozens of people signed up to speak about the proposed assault weapons ban at Monday night’s meeting, coming down on both sides of the issue.

Local attorney Jeff Smith, who said he did not own a gun himself, told council members he believed the assault weapons ban would unfairly target law-abiding gun owners without affecting the people who are actually committing crimes.

“Ricky Byrdsong was not a victim of a weapon such as this,” he said. “Neither was Justin Murray and neither was Trayvon Martin…we seek to ban something that had nothing to do with it.”

But Fr. Robert Oldershaw, pastor of Saint Nicholas Church, said he believed the assault weapons ban would be one step toward getting guns off the street in Evanston—and preventing future loss of life.

“Do it tonight for Dajae, for Justin, for Javar, and for all the other people of this community who have lost their lives to gun violence,” he said. “Do it tonight for the many Evanston youth whose bright promise remains in danger due to senseless acts of gun violence.” 

Carl Kurman, a former army officer who said he was speaking as a father and 20-year-resident of Evanston, told council members that the ban would help end a culture of violence in the United States. 

“Evanston has a proud history of taking the lead on different social issues, and it must again tonight,” he said.

PeaceAable Cities executive director Joey Rodger spoke on behalf of the board of directors of the local nonprofit, which seeks to end violence in the city of Evanston. 

“We realize this won’t end all of the violence in Evanston, but it is one step and it’s a step you can take now, tonight,” she said.