Prayer vigil today to protest Lake Barrington gun maker

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow Push organization are bringing their fight against guns back to Lake Barrington.

Less than a year after their first protest in Lake Barrington, Jackson, along with Jennifer Bishop, program director for victims and survivors at the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, are returning to the Northwest suburb today to hold a prayer vigil in front of D.S. Arms gun manufacturer.

Rainbow Push spokeswoman Rashida Restaino said Jackson is encouraging communities to enact "gun dry" initiatives and legislation.

"He is also calling for more common-sense gun laws to eliminate easy access to guns and gun violence," Restaino said.

The prayer vigil is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at D.S. Arms, 27W900 Industrial Ave.

Last August, Jackson, along with the Rev. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church in Chicago and hundreds of protesters, marched in front of D.S. Arms to shed light on what they said was the problem of easy access to firearms.

"We want these weapons off America's streets," Jackson said then of the high-powered weapons made at D.S. Arms. "Citizens of Barrington, vote these gun manufacturers out of here."

Michael Danforth, an attorney for D.S. Arms, said Friday he feels the facility is being unfairly targeted since the business is not open to the public and not a place where someone can just walk in and buy a gun.

"We sell either to large manufacturers, or we sell to the military and law enforcement," he said, adding some of the weapons they produce are currently being used by the military in Afghanistan and Iraq.

As far as he knows, Danforth said no weapons manufactured at D.S. Arms have been used in a crime.

"My challenge to Jesse Jackson is to have him show that there are any products that have been produced by D.S. Arms that have been used in a crime in Chicago," he said. "I don't think he can show that."

D.S. Arms, a gun manufacturer in Illinois for more than 20 years, has been located in Lake Barrington for nearly a decade.

Danforth said Lake County sheriff's officers will be there to ensure the vigil stays peaceful. There were no incidents at last year's vigil.

Lake Barrington Village President Kevin Richardson said he will wait until today's vigil before commenting.