Judge Grants Six-Month Delay in Opening Gun Shops in Chicago

Ban ruled unconstitutional, but mayor asked for time to prepare

A federal judge has approved Chicago's request for a delay of six months to allow the city time to craft a new gun sales ordinance.

Federal Judge Edward E. Chang approved the 180-day delay Tuesday. Chang had ruled Jan. 6 that the city's ban on gun sales was unconstitutional, and Monday was deadline for the city appeal the ruling.

Instead, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration decided to seek the six month delay in its implementation. The decision was yet another defeat for Chicago's gun restrictions, following a similar path as its now defunct ban on handguns.