Illinois has some of the nation’s strictest gun laws. However, firearm legislation in neighboring states has a significant impact on Illinois. Despite the restrictions and regulations in place, gun trafficking still poses a problem.

The Chicago Police Department reports 661 murders occurred as of Dec. 10, 2022, down 15% from 2021 when the tally was 776. Overall shootings are also reported as down by about 20% from 2021 numbers, from 3,399 to 2,718.