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| Chicago Police Officer Alex Valadez (CPD) |
Posted: Saturday, 31 October 2009 8:45AM
Anti-gang legislation inspired by slain cop
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CHICAGO (STNG) -- Inspired by the fatal shooting of a Chicago Police officer, the Illinois General Assembly passed gun legislation targeting gang members Friday.
House Bill 4124, suggested by Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, creates a new non-probationable offense of unlawful use of a weapon by a gang member, according to a press release from Mayor Richard M. Daley's press office. It was inspired by the June 1 fatal shooting of Chicago Police Officer Alex Valadez.
Officer Valadez was conducting a field interview in the 6000 block of South Hermitage Avenue when a car drove by and fired shots at him, killing him. Three people have been charged in his murder, and a weapon was recovered, the release said.
At the time of the incident, two of the offenders were on probation. The shooter was on felony probation for an aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Both defendants were gang members, according to the release.
If the law were in effect when Valadez's offenders were originally sentenced, they would not have been on the street that day, Mayor Daley said.
The bill categorizes unlawful use of a weapon by a gang member as a Class 2 felony, punishable by a minimum sentence of three years and a maximum of 10, the release said.
"This legislation holds gang members more accountable than ever for their actions, and shows our collective commitment to ridding our streets of these criminals," Chicago Police Supt. Jody P. Weis said.
HB 4124 was the third gun legislation proposal supported by the City to pass this session, according to the release. HJR 51, a resolution suggested by Daley to create an interstate gun trafficking task force within the Illinois State police, and HB 867, increasing penalties for shooting students on or near school grounds and on or near public transit, were also approved by the General Assembly.
HB 4124 passed the Senate Thursday by a 56-0 vote and the House Friday by a 113-0 vote, the release said.
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Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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