Friday, July 21, 2023

System's Failure to Seize Sufficient Firearms Results in Two Fatalities in Chicago, Despite Protection Order

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Cook County alone has approximately 731,000 individuals holding FOID cards, with over 37,000 of these being rescinded. About 74%, or an estimated 27,000 of these rescinded cards, belong to owners who potentially still possess their firearms due to noncompliance.


At a June 2022 public forum, Cook County's police force informed lawmakers that they were unable to retrieve all these firearms due to resource constraints in terms of workforce and budget.

Domestic violence prevention activists argue that the system let down Gonzalez and her family for unspecified reasons. Gonzalez, along with her two kids, left home on June 20, only to return on June 26 after Alvarez promised to seek rehabilitation, as per the legal team.

On July 3, Alvarez, in a recurring pattern, accused his wife of infidelity. In response, Gonzalez dismissed him and joined her kids in the living room, the legal team stated.

When Alvarez's son warned him to cease his accusations or face a 911 call and moved to his room, Alvarez overtook him and seized his firearm, as detailed by the prosecutors. He shot his wife Gonzalez and their 15-year-old daughter, Daniela, then proceeded to the dining room where he fired at his son, who was defending himself beneath a table, according to the legal team.


Gonzalez was shot eight times and was declared deceased at the location. Daniela, who was shot in the face and forearm, passed away following her transfer to Mount Sinai Hospital, according to law enforcement. The son was shot in the ankle and managed to escape from the apartment.

Despite the tragedy of these circumstances, "we must persevere in our pursuit of the city we aspire to create and the safety measures we believe survivors are entitled to," commented Network Director Amanda Pyron.

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