There has been a spike in gun sales following the massacre in San Bernardino, with some San Diego residents looking to purchase guns for protection and seeking carry permits.
At gun stores like Wilde Built Tactical in La Mesa, gun sales have surged since the Southern California terror attack.
“Immediately, we saw a spike,” owner Bryan Howes told NBC 7 Friday. “About 500 percent.”
The local shop’s surge in sales is following a familiar trend of gun purchases and licensing inquiries after mass shootings.
A spokesperson with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) says the department does typically see an uptick in requests for Concealed Weapons Carry permits following violent attacks.
Since the deadly Dec. 2 massacre in San Bernardino, 52 people have been interviewed in San Diego County for a permit, but haven’t submitted an application. Meanwhile, 20 people have filled out applications for permits but still have additional steps to take before approval. Three applications have been accepted, according to the latest numbers.
The gun debate has heated up once again after the Dec. 2 mass shooting.
“San Bernardino is more fuel on the fire, for essentially creeping gun prohibition,” San Diego-based gun owner Brad Tyler told NBC 7.
Fear of potential gun-buying restrictions were illustrated in a graph in “The New York Times” that shows gun sales over the past 15 years.
The graph shows an initial spike in sales after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks – with 754,000 guns sold across the U.S. that month. Another 1.1 million guns were sold the month of President Barack Obama’s first election, according to the figures, followed by 2.1 million guns sold the January after Obama’s second election and the Sandy Hook school massacre.
Tyler bought a gun years ago, front running new gun regulations.
“Back when California passed the expansion of the assault weapon ban in ’99, I bought a firearm in reaction to what the state did," he explained.
Howes says some customers simply want to buy a gun to protect themselves.
“The other reason is straight up protection,” he explained. “People see a clear threat and want some way to protect themselves."
