Gun sales throughout the country have surged as the coronavirus outbreak grips the U.S.
Americans are flocking to gun stores and waiting in long lines as they worry about what’s to come in the next few months with society all but shut down, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.
Gun sales in the states most affected by the virus thus far, such as California, New York and Washington, are particularly on the rise. Consumers reportedly include both first-time buyers worried about the state of society and previous gun owners who are unsettled by the prospect of the government limiting gun purchases during the national emergency.
The increase in gun sales reportedly began several weeks ago, in states including Washington and California, where large numbers of Asian Americans purchased guns out of fear of the anti-Asian bias that has spiked amid the pandemic.
But states with high numbers of coronavirus aren’t the only ones where residents are lining up for ammunition, with Oklahoma, Alabama, Wisconsin and Delaware experiencing increased sales and high demand, according to various reports.
Ammo.com reported a 309 percent increase in revenue between Feb. 23 and March 15, when compared to the previous 22 days.
“We know certain things impact ammo sales, mostly political events or economic instability when people feel their rights may end up infringed, but this is our first experience with a virus leading to such a boost in sales,” said Alex Horsman, the marketing manager at Ammo.com, in a statement obtained by USA Today.
Gun control advocates have warned that the many nationwide school closures will lead to children and teenagers being in homes with unsecured guns.
“We’ve seen increases in firearm purchases in response to uncertain or worrisome current events in the past,” Brady Campaign President Kris Brown said in a statement to The Hill. “Unfortunately, we know that not only do more guns not make you safer, but that the opposite is true.”
“Unsafe storage practices correlate to unintentional shootings in the home, what we call ‘Family Fire,'” Brown added. “Everyday, approximately eight children and teens die from these preventable Family Fire incidents.”
David Adams
Article URL : https://thehill.com/policy/finance/487804-gun-sales-surge-as-coronavirus-grips-us