Lake County Gazette

Illinois 10th Congressional District candidate Jim Carris stated that mass shootings are rising "about 20%" each year since 2019 and that he is committed to learning the numbers in the district and beyond. Carris made this statement in a Facebook post on June 7.

"June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month," said Carris, according to Facebook. "According to the Winnetka-based March Fourth organization, between January and October 2023, there were 587 mass shootings in 44 states, resulting in 650 people killed and an additional 2,485 injured. The number of mass shootings each year has risen about 20% year over year since 2019. I am committed to continuing to research and educate myself on the latest numbers related to gun violence, in our District and beyond."

In his Facebook post, Carris shared a map of each instance of gun violence in Lake County from 2020 through 2023, which comes from the Lake County Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI). The Lake County GVPI is an initiative that includes the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, as well as mayors of Waukegan, North Chicago, and Zion. It was created in 2022 under the leadership of Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rhinehart and Lake County Board member Sara Knizhnik. According to the plan’s executive summary, it focuses on evidence-based approaches, trauma-informed practices, and community-grounded engagement to address the main causes of gun violence to stop the cycles of violence.

Screenshot of Jim Carris' June 7 Facebook post | Jim Carris For Congress Facebook page

Carris is a prominent figure in the local business community and a longtime resident of Lake County. His campaign website emphasizes his extensive background in business rather than a career in politics.

"Jim has spent his life in business, not politics, practicing law, running his own company and as a corporate leader," his campaign website reads.

Carris currently serves in influential roles as the Managing Principal, Executive Managing Director, and Market Leader at Colliers International. He financed his own education by taking on various jobs such as painting houses, working in construction, washing dishes, and bartending.

The 10th District is currently held by incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider. It covers municipalities including Antioch, Fox Lake, Lake Villa, Grayslake, Mundelein, Vernon Hills, Waukegan, Highland Park, North Chicago, Park City, Lake Forest, Gurnee, Zion, Libertyville; Round Lake Beach in Lake County; Winnetka; Glencoe; Kenilworth; Northbrook; Wheeling in Cook County; Spring Grove; Richmond; Hebron; Wonder Lake; and Johnsburg in McHenry County.