You can see this recurrent theme in other gun violence reports as well. A person who is prevented from legally possessing a gun because of previous criminal behavior, ignores the law, illegally gets a gun and then uses it to commit another crime.

There are other examples:

• A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection to a Sept. 14 shooting in Carbondale in the 700 block of North Robert A. Stalls Avenue. The charges included aggravated unlawful use of weapons by a felon, and possession of a firearm without a FOID.

• A 38-year-old man was arrested in connection to an Oct. 20 shooting in Carbondale in the 600 block of West Main. He is facing a charge of unlawful use of weapons by a felon.

Taking into account existing gun laws, I ask you, what additional gun laws could have or would have prevented these acts? What new law could have been passed that convicted criminals would follow? There is a large and extensive network already in place to keep guns out of the wrong hands, and it’s not working. It’s being ignored.