The below FBI chart shows the murder rate in the US has been steadily dropping. The second chart shows the number of FBI background checks has risen dramatically.  The is no actual data for the number of guns sold, but the NICS check is required for buying a gun.

The Illinois gun murder rate is going in the opposite direction.  The third FBI chart shows murder by gun rose from 2010-2011, and it rose again when Chicago recorded 440 gunshot murders in 2012 (http://homicides.redeyechicago.com/#2012-chicago-homicides-up-15-vs-2011 See spreadsheet data on right side)

Illinois is the only state without a concealed carry law.  Guns are heavily regulated in Chicago, but it has done nothing to control the rate of gunshot murders.

Gun sales have risen dramatically in recent years, but the gun murder rate is dropping.  The problem is NOT the number of guns.  The problem is who has the guns.  Criminals aren’t going to comply with gun regulations, so making gun ownership harder is only going to affect law-abiding citizens.

More attention should be given to mental disorders.  The recent mass shootings  (Newtown, Aurora – to name a few) have involved individuals with mental health problems.

Not allowing individuals to protect themselves is a crime government should be held accountable for.  The school in Newtown was a gun-free zone and so was theater in Aurora, even though Colorado has concealed carry.  The south side Chicago residents  are nothing more than targets in a cage, they have Chicago politicians to thank for it.  Police can’t be everywhere.  Government needs to follow the Constitution and allow citizens to protect themselves.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-8

Weapons	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Total	14,916	14,224	13,752	13,164	12,664
Total firearms:	10,129	9,528	9,199	8,874	8,583
Handguns	7,398	6,800	6,501	6,115	6,220
Rifles	453	380	351	367	323
Shotguns	457	442	423	366	356
Other guns	116	81	96	93	97
Firearms, type not stated	1,705	1,825	1,828	1,933	1,587
Knives or cutting instruments	1,817	1,888	1,836	1,732	1,694
Blunt objects (clubs, hammers, etc.)	647	603	623	549	496
Personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.)1	869	875	817	769	728
Poison	10	9	7	11	5
Explosives	1	11	2	4	12
Fire	131	85	98	78	75
Narcotics	52	34	52	45	29
Drowning	12	16	8	10	15
Strangulation	134	89	122	122	85
Asphyxiation	109	87	84	98	89
Other weapons or weapons not stated	1,005	999	904	872	853

In Illinois in 2011 there were 452 homicides, 83% involved guns

Gun crime: how the state compares
per 100,000 pop

	State	US average
Murders 2011	2.93	2.75
Murders 2010	2.81	2.84
Robberies	2.26	39.25
Aggravated assault	5.26	43.77

SOURCE: FBI UNIFORM CRIME REPORT