A suburban Chicago gun shop has canceled a raffle of a semi-automatic rifle to benefit victims of the nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida.
The Chicago Tribune reports Second Amendment Sports in McHenry, Illinois, called off the raffle following questions about whether it would be legal. Under Illinois law, only nonprofit groups may hold raffles.
Bert Irslinger Jr. and his father own the shooting range and gun store. They were selling $5 tickets to win an AR-15 rifle similar to the weapon a gunman used to open fire in a gay nightclub June 12, leaving 49 people dead and 53 injured.
Irslinger says employees have received death threats since the Tribune first reported the raffle.
He says they may partner with a nonprofit organization to conduct the raffle in the future.
Republished with permission of the Associated Press.