A customer purchases an AK-47 style rifle for about $1200 at Freddie Bear Sports sporting goods store on December 17, 2012 in Tinley Park, Illinois (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Reporting Lisa Fielding
CHICAGO (CBS) — Gun violence prevention groups are calling for a ban on assault weapons and blasting the National Rifle Association.
The Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, the Chicago Clergy Coalition and gun violence victims have collected 30,000 petitions from Illinois citizens calling on the state and lawmakers to pass an assault weapons ban.
The legislation is supported by Governor Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Recently, the coalition of 23 Mayors across Illinois announced their support for a ban.
“The majority of Americans support these reforms,” said Mark Wash, campaign director for the Illinois Council Against Handgun violence.
The group also blasted the National Rifle Association’s comments about putting armed guards in every school.
“This is a ridiculous idea. It’s hard to believe it took them a week to come back with such a weak response. None of us think the solution is an armed officer in every school which simply makes no sense at all. We need to move past their comments today,” said Marshall Hatch, New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church.
Hatch says the majority of Americans are turning against what the NRA stands for.
