The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Ezell v. City of Chicago, Nos. 14-3312 & 14-3322, recently invalidated three Chicago regulations that drastically limited where firing ranges could be located within city limits and who could enter those ranges. The location-related regulations limited the operation of firing ranges to manufacturing districts in Chicago and prohibited the operation of a firing range within 500 feet of a residential district, school, or place of worship. Together, these regulations limited the potential location for commercial shooting ranges to 2.2% of the city’s total acreage. The third regulation prohibited anyone under age 18 from entering a firing range. In striking each of these regulations, the Court concluded that the individual right of armed defense recognized in Heller and McDonald includes the right to train and remain proficient in firearm usage. In light of the burden the regulations imposed on this right, the Court required the City to present evidence justifying the strong public interest served by the regulations. The City, however, failed to make such a showing. The case represents yet another positive application of Heller and McDonald and is an important victory for firing ranges and retailers operating in urban areas. A copy of the Court’s opinion can be found here.