NRA tells Pritzker to focus on Chicago 'crime epidemic' rather than 'spending time' on social media
68 people were shot in the city of Chicago over the July 4th weekend
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The National Rifle Association has responded to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker telling the group to "leave us the hell alone" by calling out rising crime in Chicago and the rest of the state.
"Citizens of Illinois may be better served if Gov. Pritzker spent his time focusing on curbing the daily violent crime epidemic in Chicago and elsewhere in his state instead of spending time on social media," a spokesperson for the NRA told Fox News Digital in a statement Thursday night.
The NRA was responding to a tweet from the Illinois Democrat earlier in the day where he took issue with their post citing a study that showed. "94% of mass public shootings occurred in gun-free zones."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"As Governor, on behalf of the people of Highland Park — leave us the hell alone," Pritzker tweeted.
Accused Highland Park gunman Robert E. Crimo III, 21, seen in first booking photo. (Lake County Major Crime Task Force )
Pritzker has advocated for gun control in the days following a mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois that left seven people dead and dozens injured.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Our Founders carried muskets, not assault weapons," Pritzker said on Monday afternoon. "And I don't think a single one of them would have said that you have a constitutional right to an assault weapon with a high capacity magazine, or that that is more important than the right of the people who attended this parade today to live."
HIGHLAND PARK PARADE SHOOTING SUSPECT 'CONTEMPLATED' A SECOND ATTACK, OFFICIALS REVEAL
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker greets spectators during the Chicago Pride Parade in Chicago, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Durr)
Chicago and Illinois are widely recognized as areas with some of the strictest gun laws in the nation and the town of Highland Park banned "assault rifles" in 2013, including AR15s and AK47s.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital reported in May that violent crime in Chicago was up 35% compared to the previous year.
Additionally, more people were murdered in Chicago in 2021 than any year since 1996, WFLD-TV reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Over the July 4th holiday, WTTW-TV reported that 68 people were shot and 8 were killed in the city of Chicago.
FBI agents work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 5, 2022 in Highland Park, Illinois. Police have detained Robert "Bobby" E. Crimo III, 22, in connection with the shooting. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
Gov. Pritzker’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.