Three Evanston schools avoided potentially dangerous situations this 2022-23 school year after guns found a way into academic hallways. Months later, City Council on June 26 unanimously approved Mayor Daniel Biss’ Safe Storage Act.
Biss’ ordinance will impose restrictions on how guns are stored and provide avenues to discipline gun owners whose firearm is used to inflict harm.
“We are doing something seriously wrong in this country (when it comes to gun violence). It’s insane. It’s shameful,” Councilmember Jonathan Nieuwsma said. “I’m glad we can do a small part here in Evanston to address this issue, which goes well beyond our borders and purview of the City Council.”
The legislation will require gun owners to lock their guns in a box, special gun room or with a cable lock, the ordinance states. Keys to access guns must be inaccessible to unauthorized persons. Guns cannot be left unattended in an unsupervised vehicle under the new ordinance.
Violators will be fined $1,000 for their first violation, $1,500 for the second and $2,000 for each subsequent violation. The ordinance also provides further avenues to hold gun owners accountable for not securing their firearms by allowing those injured by an unsecured gun to bring civil action upon its owner within two years of the violation.
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The Safe Storage Act comes after a 13-year-old Chute Middle School student got ahold of a firearm stolen from a vehicle and brought it to school on Feb. 6. The Evanston Police Department says the firearm was stolen sometime after 11 p.m. on Feb. 5. Police said the student was charged with unlawful use of a weapon on school grounds and referred to juvenile court.
An 18-year-old Evanston Township High School student brought a Taurus G3 9 mm handgun loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition to school on Nov. 9, according to the EPD. When ETHS staff walked the student to the dean’s office for questioning, the school resource officer was met with noncompliant behavior and found the handgun “inside of (the student’s) upper pant leg area.” A November EPD investigation didn’t uncover plans for a school shooting or harmful acts against students or staff, EPD said.
The ETHS student was charged with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon without a FOID card and felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a person under 21, according to police.
An eight-year-old Lincolnwood School student on April 18 informed a teacher they had a loaded handgun magazine in their backpack, police said. An EPD investigation discovered the magazine was from a handgun belonging to a family member and there were no threats or intent to harm school community members. Immediate legal action was not taken against the student, EPD said.
City Council was quick to approve the ordinance with roughly two minutes passing from its first motion to the unanimous “yes” vote. The two minutes were filled by Nieuwsma discussing mass shootings in the United States. He said the U.S. had 30 mass shootings since the City Council met two weeks prior. There have been more than 330 U.S. mass shootings in 2023 so far, according to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive.
Corey Schmidt is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.