Blaze News original: 10 times concealed carriers in Chicago stopped crooks in their tracks in the last year

Chicago is known, pretty much like all big cities, for violent crime. It's also known for strict laws regarding gun ownership.

But according to a June WTTW-TV explanatory piece, most of Chicago's gun laws flow from Illinois. The station said that in order to buy and own a gun in the state, one must have a Firearm Owner’s Identification card. To get a FOID card, one must be at least 21 years old and never have been convicted of a felony, the station added. What's more, in order to carry a gun in public in Illinois, one must possess a concealed-carry license, WTTW said, adding that completion of a training course is necessary to acquire a CCL.

The clerk behind the register complied with the teen's demands, but police told the station a man with a concealed-carry license also was in the restaurant — and he confronted the gun-toting teen.

Rob Chadwick — former head of the FBI’s tactical training program at Quantico, Virginia, and now director of education and training for Delta Defense and the U.S. Concealed Carry Association — wrote an op-ed for the Chicago Tribune in June, in which he said the following:

While no law-abiding citizen ever wants to be involved in a life-threatening situation, we have seen numerous examples in Chicago over the past several years in which concealed carry license holders defended themselves from violent robberies — long before law enforcement could intervene. There are now roughly 450,000 CCL holders in Illinois alone, and that number continues to grow.

Blaze News has covered many stories involving concealed carriers stepping up and battling back against crime — and, indeed, many recent examples happened in Chicago.

In the vignettes below, you'll read about a man and a woman, both concealed carriers, who opened fire on attackers in the Windy City in separate incidents on the same day ... an armed crook who demanded property from a concealed-carrying man at an ATM, which cost the bad guy his life ... a gun-toting teen who held up a restaurant until a concealed carrier on the premises got involved ... and concealed-carrying tow-truck driver who fired back at a drive-by shooter.

Here are 10 instances when concealed carriers in Chicago stopped crooks in their tracks in the last year:

Concealed carriers in Chicago — a man and a woman — open fire on attackers in separate incidents on same day

The first attack took place on Chicago's South Side in the 200 block of West 63rd Street in the Englewood neighborhood around 1:40 a.m. June 29, police told WLS-TV.

Two men — a 36-year-old and a 49-year-old — were arguing at a gas station when the 36-year-old retrieved a gun from his vehicle and fired at the 49-year-old, police told the station.

But the 49-year-old is a concealed-carry license holder and returned fire, hitting the 36-year-old in his arm, WLS reported. The 36-year-old was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, the station said. WLS reported that Area 1 detectives were investigating, adding that police did not immediately provide further information about the shooting.

The second attack took place less than 24 hours later. Police told WBBM-TV that a 17-year-old female was arguing with a 26-year-old woman in the 3000 block of South Fort Dearborn Drive, which is near 31st Street Beach, just after 11:30 p.m. June 29.

During the argument, the girl pulled out a sharp object and stabbed the woman in the arm, WBBM reported. But it turns out the woman is a concealed-carry license and FOID card holder, and she pulled out a gun and shot the girl in her left shoulder, WBBM reported.

The girl was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was treated and released, WBBM said, adding that she was then arrested and charged with aggravated battery with great bodily harm. The woman was taken to Insight Hospital in good condition, WBBM noted, adding that Area 1 detectives were investigating.

Concealed carrier shoots 3 males who physically attacked him amid argument outside his Chicago home, police say

The 43-year-old victim was arguing with three other males he knew just before 11:30 p.m. May 31 in the 4700 block of West Wrightwood Avenue in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood when the three males physically attacked him, police told WLS-TV.

With that, the victim pulled out a handgun and fired it, hitting all three alleged attackers, police told WLS.

Police noted to the station that a 29-year-old male was shot five times in the torso and was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition. WLS added that a 22-year-old male was shot in the chest, and a 55-year-old man was shot in the neck; both were in critical condition at Illinois Masonic Hospital.

The victim suffered blunt force trauma to his head and body and was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition, police told the station, adding that the victim's gun was recovered at the scene.

"He's my cousin, the one that they beat up," Andres Salgado told WLS. "I don't really know the whole story, but my cousin's a hardworking man ... he has two kids. His wife is a teacher in public schools." Salgado added to the station that the alleged attackers "tried to go into my cousin's house."

Area 5 detectives are trying to determine a motive as well as the circumstances behind the attack, WLS said, adding that police haven't released information about possible criminal charges.

"He's a hardworking man, doesn't deserve this," Salgado added to the station in regard to the victim. "Always with his kids, taking them to baseball, baseball practice, everything. His wife is a teacher. Very respectful family."

Armed crook demands property from man at Chicago ATM. But the only thing concealed-carrying victim hands over is a trip to the morgue.

Chicago police said a 60-year-old man was at an ATM before 5:30 a.m. March 8 in the 1500 block of West 82nd Street in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the South Side when a male on a bike approached, displayed a gun, and demanded his property, WBBM-TV reported.

But the victim — a valid concealed-carry license and FOID-card holder — pulled out a gun of his own, and a shootout commenced, police told the station.

The would-be robber was shot multiple times and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead, WBBM reported.

The victim ran to a Marathon gas station at 81st Street and Ashland Avenue after the shootout, the station said. WBBM's video report noted the victim was shot twice — once in the back and once in the arm. Surveillance video from the gas station shows the victim on the floor of the gas station convenience store looking for help, WBBM said. Video showed a convenience store employee apparently trying to help the victim, the station said, adding that arriving police officers put the victim into an ambulance. WBBM said the victim was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized. Two guns were recovered at the scene of the attempted robbery, the station said, adding that the investigation into the incident was ongoing.

You can view a video report here about the incident.

Concealed carrier shoots crook who bashed display case in Chicago jewelry store. Suspect reportedly released without charges.

Surveillance video inside the store on Jeweler's Row in Chicago's Loop area on North Wabash Avenue shows the suspect walking around for about a minute before taking off toward the entrance just before 11 a.m. Feb. 24, WBBM-TV reported.

The male then began to bash a glass case, after which the employee behind the counter pulled out a gun and opened fire at the suspect before he tried to get away, the station said.

It appears the employee — who is a FOID-card and concealed-carry license holder, WBBM said — fired two shots at the male, who quickly fell to the sidewalk just outside the store's entrance. Video outside the store shows the suspect getting up, beginning to run off, then stopping and turning around and going back into the store's entrance to retrieve what appears to be a bag of some kind. He then runs down the sidewalk before heading up a stairwell to a train platform, WBBM said.

Police told the station a man was placed into custody a short time later and taken to a hospital for a gunshot wound, where he reportedly was stabilized. WBBM, citing store security, said the employee who opened fire was in custody as police continued to investigate. While the station said charges against the robbery suspect are pending, WLS-TV said the suspect as well as the concealed carrier were released without charges.

You can view a video report here about the incident.

Oops! Gun-toting crook orders concealed carrier to give up his property, Chicago cops say. But it's a giant fail for the bad guy.

A 23-year-old man was walking in the 5400 block of North Winthrop Avenue in the Edgewater neighborhood on Chicago's far north side just after 4:20 a.m. Jan. 30 when a white sedan and dark-colored SUV approached him, police told WLS-TV.

Cops added to the station that a male suspect exited one of the vehicles, pulled out a gun, and demanded the man give up his belongings. But the victim has a FOID card and a concealed-carry license — and he also pulled out a gun, after which a shootout commenced, police told WLS.

Police told the station the suspect retreated empty-handed into the SUV, after which both vehicles skedaddled south. The concealed carrier wasn't hurt, WLS said, adding that it wasn't immediately clear whether the suspect was hit by gunfire. No one was in custody later that same morning, the station said, adding that Area 3 detectives were investigating.

Gun-toting teen holds up Chicago restaurant, cops say. But concealed carrier on premises isn't having it.

Police said a 17-year-old on the night of Jan. 22 entered the Taco Burrito King at 5413 W. Belmont Ave. off Long Avenue in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood — and at gunpoint demanded the contents of the cash register, WBBM-TV reported.

The clerk behind the register complied with the teen's demands, but police told the station a man with a concealed-carry license also was in the restaurant — and he confronted the gun-toting teen.

Cops said the CCL holder took out a gun and shot at the teen — but missed, WBBM reported. The teen took off from the restaurant, drove away in a black sport-utility vehicle, and promptly crashed a half mile south near Diversey and Long Avenues, police told the station.The suspect tried to flee the accident scene, but officers caught him, WBBM said, adding that they also recovered a gun.

The teen was taken to Community First Hospital with a graze wound, police added to the station. Cops initially said the teen was wounded during the armed robbery but later clarified that he was not wounded during the armed robbery, WBBM reported.

The station noted that police didn't say where the teen sustained the graze gunshot wound but noted that he was in fair condition at the hospital the following day where he was being held in custody. No one else was hurt, WBBM reported, adding that Area 5 detectives are investigating.

Concealed carrier opens fire on 4 would-be carjackers in Chicago

Chicago police said two victims — a 65-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman — were inside a car in the 100 block of North Kostner Avenue in the Garfield Park neighborhood on the city's West Side when four armed males exited a silver SUV and approached them just before 5 a.m. Dec. 27, 2023, WGN-TV reported.

The assailants demanded the vehicle, but the 65-year-old man in the car pulled out a handgun and opened fire at the four individuals, the station said, adding that his shots didn't hit anyone. Police told WGN the male victim is a valid concealed-carry license and FOID-card holder in the state of Illinois.

Cops added to the station that one of the four would-be carjackers opened fire, too, hitting the female victim in the chest and grazing the male victim's right calf. The four males got back in the silver SUV and fled the scene, WGN reported.

Police told the station both victims were taken to West Suburban Medical Center, where they were listed in good condition. Nobody was in custody, WGN said, adding that Area 4 detectives are investigating.

The mother of the female victim told WBBM-TV her daughter and the 65-year-old man are coworkers who were on their way to O'Hare Airport for work.

Pair starts shooting at man on Chicago street after midnight. But concealed-carrying victim returns fire — and with a deadly aim.

The victim, a 31-year-old man, was outside in the 1600 block of North Hamlin Avenue in the city's Humboldt Park neighborhood after midnight on Dec. 9, 2023, when two other men in a car pulled out guns and started shooting, WBBM-TV reported.

But the victim, a concealed-carry license holder, pulled out his gun and returned fire, striking the two offenders, police told WBBM. Chicago police officers responded to scene around 1:17 a.m. and found all three men hit by gunfire, the station said.

One man in the car was shot in the chest and pronounced dead at the scene, WBBM reported, adding that the Medical Examiner's Office identified him as 44-year-old Edwin Lopez. The other car occupant, a 37-year-old man, was shot in the shoulder and taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in fair condition, the station noted.

The victim was shot in the torso and was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition, WBBM said. The station added that Area 5 detectives were investigating. No information about arrests or criminal charges was immediately available, WLS-TV reported, adding that weapons were recovered at the scene.

You can view a video report here about the incident.

Concealed-carrying tow-truck driver fires back at drive-by shooter in broad daylight after bus crash: 'In Chicago, you go to work not knowing if you will come back home'

Chicago police told WLS-TV the drive-by shooting occurred around 2 p.m. Oct. 3, 2023, in the city's Archer Heights neighborhood. The station said it spoke to Lorenzo Hernandez, who was driving to work in his SUV when he saw a crash involving a CTA bus and at least four other vehicles near West 47th Street and South Archer Avenue.

"I saw the bus crash happen as I was stopped at the light," Hernandez told WLS through a translator. Hernandez said more than a dozen people exited the bus and vehicles involved in the crash when someone inside a white Dodge Durango shot at them, the station said.

Police told WLS one of the bullets hit a CTA bus supervisor — a 55-year-old man — who was responding to the crash. Hernandez added to the station that a bullet hit his SUV, stopping short of hitting him when his car's engine blocked the path of the bullet.

A tow truck driver who was helping to move vehicles involved in the crash was standing by Hernandez's SUV and dropped down amid the gunfire, WLS reported. Hernandez thought the tow truck driver was shot, but the station said Hernandez soon saw the tow truck driver jump back up, run around to the front of his SUV, and fire two shots at the drive-by gunman.

The tow truck driver, who didn't want to go on camera, told WLS he saw the shooter aim at him before he returned fire. Hernandez added to the station that after the shootout, the tow truck driver thanked him: "He said if my SUV wasn't there, he would have gotten killed."

Hernandez also told WLS that "the shooting happened so quickly, I didn't have time to react. In Chicago, you go to work not knowing if you will come back home. This happens everywhere. I thank God that I didn't get hit."

Police spoke to the tow truck driver, who was asked to stay behind as part of the investigation, WLS said, adding that police confirmed a witness with a concealed-carry license fired back.

Police added to the station that the wounded bus supervisor, who was hit in his thigh, was taken to a hospital and stabilized. The bus supervisor was not the shooter's intended target, a CTA spokesperson told WLS. No one is in custody, and detectives were investigating, the station said.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!