How will Biden's push for gun background checks affect Milwaukee?

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- President Biden announced action Tuesday to get the U.S. closer to universal background checks for gun sales.

The executive order increases gun measures without new legislation.

We have new reaction from Milwaukee Tuesday night, where city and health officials have declared gun violence an epidemic.

In 2022, the majority of homicides were firearm related. Now, city leaders and a gun violence activist say that Biden's executive order could help curb gun violence. Meanwhile, a gun dealer says it won't do a thing. 

President Biden signed an executive order Tuesday to:

  • Increase the number of background checks
  • Create a plan to help communities suffering from gun violence
  • Demand better reporting of ballistics data

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson believes the city will benefit from this move.

"Too often in this community, we see people who have guns in their possessions in the first place, right? And the more we are able to put common sense approaches in place such as gun background checks for gun purchases, that makes our community better altogether," Mayor Johnson said. 

Debra Gillispie, founder of Mothers Against Gun Violence, says the order will keep guns out of the wrong hands.

"Anything that will improve background checks, as far as I'm concerned, is a win-win. I know, I lost my own son to gun violence. He was killed by a felon who obtained a gun."

But Adam Campbell, head of training at Brew City Shooters Supply, says focusing on gun dealers -who he believes already follow gun laws- is a waste of time.

"Putting the liability or the responsibility on gun manufacturers or gun sellers is the same as us going after Kia or a Hyundai because kids are stealing their cars and crashing them into people," he said. 

His colleague, Bryan Munoz, says eyes should rather be put on enforcement, saying that not much is done on attempted straw purchases, which is when someone prohibited from buying a firearm has someone else buy it on their behalf.

"Even if we report it, which we've done in the past, reported attempted straw purchases - even if it gets to court, which usually it won't, it gets ignored - even if it gets to court, the case is thrown out," Munoz said. 

Mayor Johnson says all opinions are welcome at the table. 

"Everybody has got a role to play to make sure our community is safe."

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