Kendall GOP Raffling Gun 'Nearly Identical' To Weapon In Highland Park Shooting

KENDALL COUNTY, IL — Republican leaders in Kendall County are facing criticism from Democratic officials over the decision to raffle off a gun similar to the one allegedly used by the Highland Park mass shooter.

The Kendall County Republican Central Committee plans to hold a drawing later in the month, when it will give away four firearms, among them a Smith & Wesson 5.56/.223. Democratic Party leaders at both the state and county level have expressed concern that the weapon is “nearly identical” to the Smith & Wesson M&P15 owned by Robert Crimo III, who is accused of killing seven people on the Fourth of July at a parade in Highland Park.

“It is inappropriate and offensive for the Kendall County Republican Party to raffle off an assault weapon at a political fundraiser, especially a gun so similar to the one used to take seven innocent lives in Highland Park just one week ago,” U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, the state Democratic party chair, said in a news release.

“We call on the Illinois Republican Party and the Kendall County Republican Party to show some compassion and common sense by calling off this gun raffle and ceasing the use of assault weapons in future political fundraisers and other events.”

The Kendall County Republicans accused the Democrats of “attempting to politicize the tragedy in Highland Park” and argued the Independence Day shooting had nothing to do with the upcoming fundraiser raffle, which the group said it has been planning since spring.

“This act has no relevance to the hundreds of millions of law-abiding citizens who exercise their 2nd Amendment constitutional right,” Chairman Jim Marter said in a Facebook post.

The raffle is set for 2 p.m. July 24 at Mike & Denise’s in Yorkville. Ticketholders must have a FOID card, be 21 or older, and be legally allowed to own a gun.

“It is just plain wrong to use a gun this similar to the one used in the Highland Park shooting for a political fundraiser,” said Brooke Shanely, chair of the Democratic Party of Kendall County, in the news release.

“We do not oppose responsible gun ownership, but we also do not need more military-style assault weapons in Kendall County. We ask the Kendall County Republican Party to cancel this gun raffle out of respect to the people of Highland Park and out of respect for our community and its safety.”

The Lake Villa Township Republican Club received similar complaints in May, when it held a gun raffle in the weeks following the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting that killed two teachers and 19 children.