Chicago Police Superintendent: ‘Stop Adopting the Rhetoric Of Gun Advocates -- Chicago Does Not Have Strict Gun Laws’

CHICAGO, IL - FEBRUARY 11: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (R) listens as Police Superintendant Garry McCarthy (L) speaks during a press conference which they called to promote a plan to increase mandatory minimum sentencing for serious gun crimes in an effort to combat the city's growing gun violence problem on February 11, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. President Barack Obama is expected to speak about the city’s growing gun violence problem during a visit to Chicago on Friday. Last year the city had more than 500 murders. Credit: Getty Images

Despite having some of the toughest gun laws in the nation, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says the Windy City "does not have strict gun laws."

“One of the things that I would like to again try to clear up, and I ask you to please stop adopting the rhetoric of the gun advocates," McCarthy said, addressing the press.

Unsurprisingly, no one is buying it. The Washington Times reports:

Despite the superintendent’s claims, Chicago has some of the strictest gun-control mandates in the country. “Assault weapons” and high-capacity magazines are completely banned and, until a 2010 Supreme Court decision, so were handguns.

Residents now can get a permit to own a gun, but the process requires training, background checks and a firearm owner’s identification card.

“We’re here today to talk about the fact that we need mandatory minimum sentences in the state of Illinois,” he said, accompanied by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He says that increasing punishments will help prevent guns from coming into the Chicago from various outside areas.