Gun rights advocates are conducting a town hall meeting in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood tonight. The Illinois Rifle Association and other gun rights groups are expected at the meeting. The groups say they aim to educate citizens on the right to carry concealed handguns in public and to gather support for a reintroduction of a concealed-carry bill in Illinois.

Illinois is currently the only state in the country that does not permit concealed guns to be carried in public.

Miguel Nogueras lives near the Logan Square neighborhood on the Northwest Side. He is among local residents who pushed for the gun rights forum after several violent incidents in the area.

Nogueras says he encountered a pointed gun twice—once right outside his own home. “The criminal element knows we are unarmed,” he says. He believes that concealed carry will level the playing field between criminals and victims and act as a deterrent for those who think about committing a crime.

“I think as we have more of those discussions, hopefully the citizens will rise up and push their elected officials to vote finally to allow for citizens to be able to defend themselves in this state,”  said Nogueras.

A concealed-carry bill was introduced last year, and ended up six votes short of passing in the Illinois House.