Willowbrook mass shooting has some questioning Illinois' approach to violent crime

[June 20, 2023]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – After a Juneteenth celebration on the outskirts of Willowbrook left 23 injured and one dead, lawmakers are offering differing opinions on how to address violent crime in Illinois.

Early Sunday morning, shots were fired into on a group of people in DuPage County, injuring 23 in the process. A 31-year-old man, Reginald Meadows, ultimately died from his injuries.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker offered a statement following the shooting and reaffirmed his commitment to limiting the possibility of similar incidents in the future.

"In Illinois, we've required universal background checks and banned assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and ghost guns. I’ve also signed the most comprehensive reforms to gun safety laws in over a generation," Pritzker said. "Our work doesn't stop here. I'm committed to using every available resource to save lives, hold perpetrators accountable, and prevent further harm. And I hope other states and Congress will follow that same commitment."

The Willowbrook shooting has led some lawmakers to question the state's approach to stopping violent crimes in the future.

State Rep. Mike Marron, R-Fithian, said the Democrats' plan to remove certain semi-automatic firearms has not made the state safer.

"I thought we fixed this. They claimed that they fixed this, we banned assault weapons, and we did all this, and it was supposed to fix this," Marron told The Center Square. "It didn't."

Illinois state Rep. Mike Marron, R-Fithian
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In January, Pritzker signed the Protect Illinois Communities Act banning the sale and distribution of more than 170 semi-automatic firearms and magazines over certain capacities in Illinois. The law has been challenged in state and federal courts.

Illinois U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, said in a social media post that the world lives in a reality where being shot at any time is a risk.

"We live in a tragic reality where you cannot go to school, the grocery store, your place of worship, or celebrate holidays like the Fourth of July or Juneteenth without fear of being shot," Casten said. "I’m thankful for the first responders who attended to the victims last night and will continue to work with local authorities to stay updated on the situation."

Some suggested working with individuals to stop these crimes from occurring rather than banning guns.

"I believe it was Congressman Casten coming out with these pronouncements that this is about guns. It's not about guns. It's about people," said state Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, "I don't understand why they do not get that."

As of Monday afternoon, no one had been arrested for the shooting in Willowbrook.

Andrew Hensel reports on issues in Chicago and Statewide. He has been with The Center Square News since April of 2021 and was previously with The Joliet Slammers.