Husband of Illinois Dem state lawmaker fired legal gun at perps during carjacking: reports

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The husband of the high-ranking Democratic Illinois lawmaker who was carjacked this week used a legally-owned gun to fire shots at the alleged carjackers, according to multiple reports. 

Illinois state Sen. Kimberly Lightford was with her husband Eric McKennie Tuesday night when three individuals wearing masks stole Lightford's Mercedes-Benz SUV, police in the Village of Broadview said Wednesday. Broadview is a Chicago suburb. 

At the time, police only disclosed that shots were fired during the carjacking, and that nobody – the senator, her husband or the alleged carjackers – was hurt. But the Chicago Tribune reported Thursday that Broadview Chief of Police Thomas Mills said McKennie and a suspected carjacker traded fire. 

Illinois State Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood. (Reuters)

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According to the Tribune, McKinnie is a legal gun owner with a concealed carry license. 

"It was a lot of shots being fired. I think they were shooting at my husband and me and luckily enough my husband is concealed and carry and he was able to protect us," Lightford said about the incident in an interview with ABC 7.

"I am thankful that my husband and I are alive and physically unharmed," Lightford said in a statement earlier this week. "I want to thank everyone who has offered their love and support."

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The Broadview Police Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News on Friday. 

Village of Broadview, where Illinois state Sen. Kimberly Lightford and her husband were carjacked this week. The Chicago Tribune reports that Lightford's husband Eric McKinnie traded fire with one of the suspected carjackers (Google Maps)

Lightford is the Illinois Senate majority leader. She is just one of two Democratic politicians to be carjacked in big cities this week – Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., was carjacked at gunpoint in Philadelphia Wednesday. 

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"What happened yesterday was traumatic, but I refuse to let it dampen my love for the city of Philadelphia or the gem that is FDR Park," Scanlon said in a statement. "The fact is, this type of crime can happen anywhere and to anyone — yesterday it happened to me. Sadly, we know that over the course of the last year or two, since the onset of the pandemic, we have seen a spike in certain crimes across the country, including gun violence and carjacking."

Fox News' Matt Finn contributed to this report.