More Illinois residents are getting concealed carry licenses amid fears about crime
CHICAGO (CBS) -- More and more victims of violence in Chicago are fighting back, and concealed carry license holders in particular have drawn their own weapons in some recent, high-profile robberies and carjackings.
CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey has learned a growing number of Illinois residents are getting licensed to defend themselves – and in a lot of cases, they are obtaining the concealed carry licenses because they feel unsafe.
Early on Sunday, Dec. 10, a victim turned the tables on a shooter in the Loop by pulling out his own gun. The victim was walking toward his parked car was right outside the Cambria Hotel at 32 W. Randolph St. when police said someone in a red sport-utility vehicle fired shots in his direction.
In those same moments, the would-be victim – who holds a Firearm Owners Identification Card and a concealed carry license – took out his gun and fired several rounds back.
That encounter was the sixth incident in less than five weeks in which the person being targeted just so happened to have a concealed carry license – and in many cases used it to try to defend themselves.
"There's no question people feel unsafe," said Dan Eldridge, owner of Maxon's Shooter's Supplies in Des Plaines.
Eldridge said he has been tracking these recent cases, because he offers mandatory CCL classes as the owner of a firearms business.
"These interactions are going to happen more and more and more as you have more crime, and have more people who have chosen to equip themselves to be their own first responders," he said.
At Maxon's Shooter's Supplies, those classes have been packed. Year over year, they've seen a 15 percent increase in enrollment in their CCL and pistol training classes.
Their CCL renewals are up 44 percent.
"Particularly, private instruction," Eldridge said. "It's sold out for weeks - this time of year months - in advance, and we're working very hard to attract qualified instructors.
But the biggest question remains — will a rise in CCL holders actually deter would-be criminals? Eldridge points studies that have shown that one of the biggest fears for armed offenders is encountering armed victims.
"So they're not dumb," he said, "and as more and more people are carrying, well, maybe they'll think twice before doing this."
There are currently about 450,000 CCL holders in Illinois.
As for the incident in the Loop a little over week ago — fortunately, no one was injured in the back and forth. Chicago Police News Affairs said they have no update on suspects.