(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday announced creation of federal gun-trafficking strike forces for five cities, including Chicago.
The Department of Justice initiative will focus on the illegal trafficking of weapons and follow up by prosecuting offenders, officials said.
U.S. attorneys and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) will work with local authorities.
Mayor Lightfoot said this will be a game-changer in getting “weapons of war” off our streets.
“We have to send a very loud and clear message: You’re bringing guns into the city of Chicago, we’re coming for you. We’re going to meet you at the border. We’re going to lock you up, and you’re going to be sent off to federal prison,” she said at a Thursday news conference.
The mayor says this approach is multi-jurisdictional — meaning, the U.S. attorneys in Chicago and Gary and Indianapolis and on down I-65 will be sharing intelligence and working with local law enforcement.
Garland said authorities will seek to “disrupt the worst gun trafficking corridors.”
The other cities or metro regions to get federal help are New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C.
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