The 28-year-old garbage truck driver turned the tables on two armed robbers by using his legally carried firearm. The driver was ambushed in an alley by two assailants, who intended to rob him.

The driver, who had a valid concealed carry license (CCL), responded to the threat by drawing his gun and engaging in a shootout. One of the robbers, aged 42, was fatally shot in the head, while his 20-year-old accomplice was in critical condition after being hit in the neck. The driver himself escaped the gunfire unharmed, but they treated him for chest pains at St. Anthony Hospital, where he was reported to be in good condition.

These events consistently raise the topic of gun ownership, self-defense, and concealed carry in Chicago, a city known for its strict gun laws. This is a clear example of why individuals should have the right to protect themselves, including while at work.

There have been more criminals shot by people defending themselves than officer-involved shootings in Chicago in the past year.

In Illinois, you have to have a FOID card just to possess ammunition and a CCL license to carry a gun, which the driver had, but I’m sure the criminals didn’t care about following the law. Illinois law allows for the use of deadly force in self-defense when one reasonably believes they are in immediate danger of death or severe harm.

BREAKING: Chicago garbage truck driver exchanges gunfire with 2 armed robbers: shooting one dead and the other in the neck.

Garbage man is a concealed carry license holder. #2A saved his life this Friday morning. pic.twitter.com/DMo0DxdBJr

— Dapper Detective (@Dapper_Det) January 31, 2025

This story has quickly spread across social media platforms like X, with many expressing support for the driver’s quick thinking and bravery.

Requirements for Obtaining a FOID Card:

• Age: Applicants must be at least 21 years old.
• Background Check: The Illinois State Police will check against the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Disqualifications include felony convictions, certain misdemeanors, or being subject to an order of protection.
• Application Process: You must submit fingerprints via an online or paper application. A FOID card costs $10 and is valid for ten years.
• Renewal: Since January 1, 2022, a FOID card is typically valid for ten years. If you’ve submitted fingerprints, there’s an automatic renewal process, simplifying the renewal by extending your card’s validity upon a firearm transaction if your background check remains clear. If you don’t buy a firearm, you must renew online. However, the card has no expiration date printed on it, so you’ll need to watch the website to find out when your renewal is due.
• Non-Resident Exemption: An interesting aspect is that non-Illinois residents with a valid firearm permit from their state are exempt from needing a FOID card in Illinois.

Can you carry a gun in Illinois with a FOID card?

You can not carry a gun in Illinois with just a FOID. You must take a 16-hour class and then apply for a concealed carry license (CCL).

“(430 ILCS 65/2) (from Ch. 38, par. 83-2)
(a) (1) No person may acquire or possess any firearm, stun gun, or taser within this State without having in his or her possession a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card previously issued in his or her name by the Illinois State Police under the provisions of this Act.
(2) No person may acquire or possess firearm ammunition within this State without having in his or her possession a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card ……”

FOID Legal Implications and Controversies:

The FOID card requirement has faced legal challenges, with arguments over its infringement on Second Amendment rights. Possessing a firearm or even ammunition without a valid FOID card in Illinois can lead to criminal charges, and most firearm owners argue it’s an unnecessary burden on law-abiding citizens.

The FOID card is unique to Illinois law. An Illinois Circuit Court Judge ruled that the requirement for possessing a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card to possess a gun in the home is unconstitutional, but for now, the state has not changed the law to comply.

On Sunday evening, four people suffered stab wounds within hours because of this incident and another one. A few weeks ago, fights broke out, and they shot a man in the parking lot.

Footage of the incident at Montrose Beach between illegal Venezuelans where shots were fired injuring two

I’m the video you can hear in the background at least 3 shots being fired #Chicago https://t.co/OmxpfRzKal pic.twitter.com/X0jtDi3ob9

— Goofies Of Chicago (@Chicago_Goofies) July 22, 2024

All groups, including Hispanics, have enjoyed this beach for years, and there have rarely been issues until recently.

A retired suburban police chief, Thomas Weitzel, said, “Can we all agree that the mayor’s summer safety plan was purely for political reasons? It’s harmful. How long can police leadership continue to support this?”

Before, Mayor Johnson blamed the violence on Nixon he said it was the former mayor’s fault.

Self-defense shootings are up this year in Chicago, and it’s clear that CCL holders are not the ones breaking the law.

As the robber is busy emptying the cash register, the customer jumps up and starts shooting, but his gun malfunctions. While he goes to clear it, the robber tries to shoot back, but luckily, the customer escapes.

Before she walks out, the girl takes the gun and the backpack from her boyfriend and leaves him there. The male died instantly, and the police later apprehended the female.

That’s one cold girlfriend.

You never know when a gun malfunction will occur, so your training should include clearing it. You can practice this at home, and although it isn’t as fun as putting rounds down range, it’s just as important.

This took place in Brazil in 2021, and the customer was an off-duty Brazilian military police officer, according to what I can find.

Good guy 2 – Bad couple 0

Yesterday, I talked about a shooting in Chicago where a guy tried to rob a store, and an employee shot him.

As you can see from the video, the shot was questionable, and the guy needs more practice at the range.

Video of the attempted robbery that resulted in the offender being shot on Jewelers Row in #Chicago#ChicagoScannerpic.twitter.com/gjHrSmw4jY https://t.co/HsDfLv8UzB

— 16th & 17th District Chicago Police Scanner (@CPD1617Scanner) February 25, 2024

The thief was taken to the hospital, and they have kept the CCL holder in jail since yesterday. Today, they were both let go.

Only in Chicago, with no cash bail, do the criminal and victim get dragged to jail, and BOTH get released with no charges.

A spokeswoman told CWB Chicago, “Two individuals related to this incident have been released without charging at this time.”

I can’t imagine how they justified this outcome unless prosecutors figured getting two rounds in the *ss was punishment enough.

They tried that “mutual combat” excuse once, but this……………..

It is truly the Wild West.

He tried to escape on the train (stolen cars are the preferred method in Chicago) but fell into the passenger car, and that’s where the cops found him.

This happened right before lunch at the Chicago Landmark Diamond Center in the middle of the shopping district of the Mag Mile. The police took the employee into custody, but no reported charges have been filed yet.

The store employee fumbled for his gun, and I can’t stress enough the need to get training and practice on a regular basis. The number of self-defense shootings in Chicago that have occurred this year is definitely outpacing last year.

CCL shootings are all already in the double digits, and that’s not good for tourism.

@SPOTNEWSonIG on X does a great job at keeping everyone up to date with scanner traffic coming from the Chicago Police Department.

We will have to wait until tomorrow to see if more details hit the local news, but only in Chicago do the tow truck drivers shoot at each other for dibs on a car.

Yesterday’s article outlined the previous five CCL incidents from around the city. Chicago really is turning into the Wild West.

The latest incident was in the 1600 block of North Hamlin Avenue on the city’s northwest side. According to the Chicago Police, a vehicle with two men inside approached a 31-year-old man. The two men began to shoot at the victim, who had an Illinois concealed carry license (CCL). He pulled out his gun and returned fire, striking the attackers.

One offender was a 44-year-old who got shot in the chest and didn’t survive. He hit the second offender, a 37-year-old, in the shoulder, and authorities took him to the hospital in fair condition.

The list of individuals fighting back in Chicago this year is growing, and it extends beyond concealed carry holders.

In one incident, a group of men ambushed an off-duty police officer while he was returning home. He shot back and successfully defended himself.

A mob attacked a couple in a Tesla during a street takeover, and they hit multiple vehicles trying to escape.

In October, a man approached a couple with what looked like a knife as they were walking out of a hotel. Someone recorded the entire incident as the unarmed male victim fought the guy off.

There are three weeks left to go, and this is most likely not the last self-defense case the Chicago area will see this year.

In many states, you will have to go through a process to carry a firearm and then get your license permit, etc., depending on what your state calls it, to legally have a gun on you and exercise your Second Amendment right.

In Arizona, it’s a CWP, in Texas it’s an LTC, and in California, it’s a CCW.

List of Constitutional Carry States

Some states allow constitutional carry, and as long as you can legally own a gun, you can carry. As of 2023, the following states allow constitutional carry: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida (concealed carry only), Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota (concealed carry only), Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee (handguns only), Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

In a few states, you have to have permission just to have a gun or ammunition at home, like Illinois, with their Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card requirements. After that, you can apply for a concealed carry license. Places like Hawaii, California, and New York make it extremely difficult to get a permit. As you can see, it gets confusing.

What Do Concealed Carry License Abbreviations Stand For

As you can see, the name of the piece of paper permitting you to carry a gun isn’t short, and the concealed carry license terminology is confusing.

• CCL – Concealed Carry License
• CCW — Concealed Carry Weapon
• LTC — License to Carry
• CHP — Concealed Handgun Permit
• CCP — Concealed Carry Pistol
• CCP — Concealed Carry Permit
• LTCF — License to Carry Firearm
• CWP — Concealed Weapons Permit
• CHL — Concealed Handgun License
• CPL — Concealed Pistol License

You May Need a License to Carry Weapons Besides Guns

Not only does this term include handguns, but it may also include other types of weapons, like knives or non-lethal weapons like pepper spray. Applicants need to know precisely what the term means in their own jurisdiction, and if traveling to different states, make sure you understand how the laws work. When another state recognizes your permit, they call it reciprocity.

Understanding concealed carry license abbreviations like CCL, CHL, CWP, CCW, and LTC is important because whenever you read articles, they refer to them differently and sometimes incorrectly. Knowing what they refer to will help you carry legally and clarify concealed carry laws and the requirements tied to the license.

A 23-year-old victim, who, in this case, is also an alleged criminal, was attending a party in Decatur, IL, over the weekend.

Someone went up to him and lifted the hoodie he was wearing, then took the handgun he had concealed underneath.

By the time the police got there, the crook who stole the gun was gone. The victim, though, got taken in and charged with unlawful use of a weapon (UUW.)

Sgt. Steve Hagemeyer from the Decatur Police Department said, “He said a man got really close to him, lifted up his hoodie, and grabbed his gun from his waistband, a 9mm semi-automatic with an extended magazine.”

“The man then pointed the gun at everybody and told them to get out of the house. The victim said he didn’t want to be shot with his own gun, so he left on foot and called the police.”

“He is allowed to have a gun, but he does not have a concealed carry card, and he is not allowed to carry a loaded gun around, so he was arrested for the aggravated unlawful use of a weapon based on his admissions.”

In Illinois, you must have a firearms owner’s identification card (FOID) to own a gun and a concealed carry license (CCL) to have it on you.

The state of Illinois has arrested people for owning a gun and not having a FOID. In 2020, police were called to a home because someone heard a gunshot and later arrested the woman living there for having a rifle but not having a FOID card.

She took it to court and won because the court found the FOID card to be an unconstitutional requirement, but it only applies if you are in possession of the gun when you are in your home.