Gun Sales Up in Colorado After Aurora Massacre, Spike of 41% Seen Since Shooting


Gun sales often spike after a large-scale gun tragedy, and the Aurora, Colorado shootings that left 12 dead and dozens injured, some critically, are no exception.

While gun sales are the flip side of a coin where many are calling for tighter gun regulations, the Dark Knight Rises massacre has left many feeling exposed and under-protected in its wake.

As the gun debate rages on in the US, bolstered by those on both side wishing to prop a platform on the horrific murders, gun sales in Colorado — where the tragedy occurred — have spiked in the five days since alleged shooter James Holmes entered a crowded theater during a midnight screening and began shooting indiscriminately.

In fact, in Colorado, sales of guns have gone up 41% in the less-than-a-week since the murders, with the highest volume of increase seen on Friday — the day news of the shooting late Thursday night dominated local and national news.

According to the Denver Post, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation noted a 43% uptick in applications on Friday through Sunday in people seeking to purchase a firearm. The applications also jumped 39% over the first weekend in July.

On Friday alone, there were 1,216 checks processed for individuals seeking to buy a gun.

Jake Meyers works at Rocky Mountain Guns and Ammo in Parker, Colorado, and he explains how customers have reacted in the days following the shooting tragedy in Aurora:

“A lot of it is people saying, ‘I didn’t think I needed a gun, but now I do,’ ” Meyers said. “When it happens in your backyard, people start reassessing — ‘Hey, I go to the movies.’ “

Somewhat scarily, Meyers reports that on Friday morning, “15 to 20 people” were waiting outside the store before it opened in hopes of purchasing a gun.

Do you think more legal, licensed and informed gun owners are the answer to preventing spree killings, or will more guns lead to more deaths?

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