By Alexa Aguilar
Tribune staff reporter
Published July 5, 2007, 1:16 PM CDT
A Tennessee woman was arrested at the Sears Tower this morning after she tried to visit the Skydeck with a loaded revolver in her purse, police said.
The woman, 56, was stopped by security after she went through a metal detector with a .38-caliber revolver in her purse, said Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond.
Tennessee allows its citizens to carry a handgun as long as they have a permit, and the woman was unaware that she wasn't allowed to carry a handgun in the state of Illinois, Bond said.
"It didn't dawn on her that our state did not have the same gun laws as hers did," Bond said.
The woman, who was traveling with her husband, had a state permit from Tennessee to carry the weapon, Bond said. Both Illinois and Chicago have laws prohibiting the carrying of a concealed weapon.
Police are recommending that she be charged with unlawful use of a weapon, a felony, Bond said.
There was no interruption of service for other Skydeck tourists and no one in the building was at risk, Bond said.
"There was never any danger to the occupants," Bond said.
About 1.3 million tourists visit the Skydeck each year.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on July 5, 2007 01:11:08 PM new
Hmmm. Can tell she wasn't from Texas.
Our Texas Gun Owners Guide states on the front cover: "Who can bear arms, when can you shoot"
We jokingly say after you have taken the 8 hour course.
New Texas self defense law:
"DALLAS (Reuters) - Criminals in Texas beware: if you threaten someone in their car or office, the citizens of this state where guns are ubiquitous have the right to shoot you dead.
Governor Rick Perry's office said on Tuesday that he had signed a new law that expands Texans' existing right to use deadly force to defend themselves "without retreat" in their homes, cars and workplaces."
Don't Mess with Texas!
[ edited by etexbill on Jul 5, 2007 01:13 PM ]
posted on July 7, 2007 11:42:26 AM new
Illinois can have whatever laws it wants, but you'd think they'd cut this gal some slack. On the other hand, ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
I have a CC permit, but where we are we're mostly protecting ourselves from coyotes and snakes and not bad guys so I feel no need to hide guns most the time. On monthly trips to town I might stick the pistol under the seat just so it doesn't get stolen.
posted on July 7, 2007 11:51:55 AM new
No, they won't use common sense and cut her slack...she will be convicted and SERVE THE TIME for this heinous crime of being ignorant of the law.
S H E
will NOT have her sentence commuted ...SHE will serve it.
Although I HOPE she gets the best lawyer who makes a mockery of the whole case and she goes free.
""There was no interruption of service for other Skydeck tourists and no one in the building was at risk, Bond said.
"There was never any danger to the occupants," Bond said.
About 1.3 million tourists visit the Skydeck each year."""
