A federal judge has ruled that Chicago's ban on the sale of handguns is unconstitutional, Bloomberg reported Monday.

U.S. District Court Judge Edmond E. Chang said the municipal ordinance goes "too far." He delayed the effect of his ruling to allow the city to respond.

“Chicago’s ordinance goes too far in outright banning legal buyers and legal dealers from engaging in lawful acquisitions and lawful sales of firearms," Chang wrote in the opinion, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Chicago currently prohibits the sale of handguns within city limits.

In September, a city council committee approved a rewrite of the city's gun laws, which included bringing the city's policy on the carry of concealed weapons in line with the state of Illinois' recently passed concealed carry law.

The decision comes days after Chicago's Police Department announced that the city's homicide rate in 2013 had reached its lowest level since 1965. The overall crime rate also fell dramatically.

Below, more from the Associated Press:

A federal judge has ruled that Chicago's ban on the sale of firearms is unconstitutional.

Judge Edmond E. Chang issued his ruling Monday in a lawsuit by the Illinois Association of Firearms Retailers and three Chicago residents.

Chang noted Chicago's ban not only covers federally licensed firearms dealers, but also gifts among family members, all in the name of reducing gun violence.

Chang said a fundamental duty of government is to protect its citizens. However, he said it's also obligated to protect fundamental rights named in the Constitution, including the right to keep and bear arms for self-defense.

The judge said Chicago's ordinance goes too far in outright banning legal buyers and dealers from engaging in lawful acquisitions and lawful sales of firearms.