Whenever pro-second amendment advocates try to argue that gun control will lead to disaster, the city of Chicago has always provided the perfect fodder for their arguments. Despite having some of the most draconian gun laws in country, the city of Chicago has long been notorious for its mind-boggling murder statistics. To the surprise of no one who supports gun rights, the latest statistics out of Chicago show that the city is still a prime example of what happens when you hinder gun rights for law-abiding citizens.

According to CNN, 141 people were murdered in Chicago during the first three months of the year, which is 71.9% higher than the 82 people who were killed in the same time frame last year. Even more astonishing for a city that prides itself on tackling guns, is the fact that shootings during the first three months of the year have gone up 88.5%, from 359 in 2015, to 677 in 2016. In other words, gun violence has nearly doubled over the past year.

CNN interviewed several residents in Chicago about the explosion in violence, and they all seemed to blame it on the economy. “If you really want to stop this epidemic of violence, the best way to stop a bullet is with a job” explained one resident.

While there is certainly merit to that, the economy isn’t the sole contributing factor to violence. In fact, all crime rates declined in the United States following the crash of 2008. Maybe it’s time for the city to admit that making it easier to own and carry a weapon would also alleviate their horrendous crime rates.

Article by Joshua Krause