Illinois license-holder stops Chicago man who was firing into a crowd of people

The Chicago Tribune reported this week that an Illinois concealed handgun license-holder was able to stop a man who was firing his gun into a crowd of people last Friday.

According to Assistant State's Attorney Barry Quinn, the driver who shot and wounded a gunman who opened fire on a crowd of people had a concealed-carry permit and acted in the defense of himself and others.

From the article:

A group of people had been walking in front of the driver around 11:50 p.m. Friday in the 2900 block of North Milwaukee Avenue when Everardo Custodio, 22, began firing into the crowd, Quinn said.

The driver pulled out a handgun and fired six shots at Custodio, hitting him several times, according to court records. Responding officers found Custodio lying on the ground, bleeding, Quinn said. No other injuries were reported.

According to the article, Custodio was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for gunshot wounds to the shin, thigh and lower back. He is being charged with aggravated assault and unlawful use of a weapon charges. His motives for opening fire into a crowd of people are not known.

Illinois was the last state in the union to pass a concealed carry law. In an attempt to comply with a ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the legislature overrode a gubernatorial veto and restored Illinois residents' self-defense rights in 2013. There is no telling how many innocent people would have lost their lives had this driver not had his rights restored, had be not chosen to exercise that right, had he not chosen to carry on that day, and had he not chosen to act in defense of himself and others.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.