[Correspondent Diary] Americans Rushing to Gun Shops Saying 'It's Scary'

American Reactions to the US Capitol Riot
Gun Sales Surge and Firearms Manufacturers' Stocks Soar
COVID-19 and Riots Drive Last Year's Gun Sales to 40 Million
Spike in Sales in Areas with Trump Supporter Violence Incidents

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Gun sales have surged following the breach of the U.S. Capitol building.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to local LA media, on the 7th (local time), a day after the Capitol breach, Redstone Firearms, a gun shop located in Burbank, was flooded with inquiries. Despite it being a weekday Thursday, gun buyers increased by 40%.

The shop’s owner, Geneva Solomon, said, "Purchase inquiries came endlessly through phone calls, emails, and text messages."

The gun shop explained that those purchasing firearms hoped to protect their families' safety.

Kimberly Bailey, who bought a gun for the first time after this incident, told CBS, "I had always thought about buying a gun, but after seeing this situation, I decided I had to buy one now."

Annual trend of gun sales in the United States. It shows that gun sales increase after major incidents and accidents.

Stock prices of gun manufacturers also soared. Smith & Wesson’s stock price jumped 18% immediately after the Capitol breach. Other firearm-related stocks such as Sturm, Ruger & Co., Vista Outdoor, and Olin also joined the rise.

Gun sales in the U.S. tend to increase when social unrest occurs. Last year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-racism protests, firearm sales surged significantly.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the number of background check requests for gun purchases reached 39.69 million last year, a 40% increase compared to the previous year.

Particularly notable is the sharp rise in background checks in Michigan and Illinois. Michigan recorded 1.06 million checks, a 117% increase from the previous year. Illinois had 7.45 million checks, accounting for about 20% of the total U.S. checks, with a 51% increase.

The exact reasons for the surge in gun sales nationwide and in these states remain unclear. In Michigan’s case, it is significant that many strong supporters of President Donald Trump reside there. An attempt to kidnap the governor, who had clashed with President Trump, was also preemptively uncovered in Michigan.

If Trump supporters purchased weapons for regime overthrow or armed uprising, gun sales could also increase for the exact opposite reasons.

The think tank Brookings Institution identified that movements to reduce police budgets are also encouraging individuals to arm themselves. Citizens’ anxiety is ironically causing an increase in gun purchases. The institute recalled that although calls for gun regulation grow every year, gun sales do not decrease.

Although the Capitol breach has been suppressed, social anxiety in the U.S. is expected to persist. Warnings continue that Trump supporters may launch a large-scale uprising on the 20th, the day of President Joe Biden’s inauguration. This too could be a factor increasing gun purchases.

Despite the countless deaths caused by gun incidents every year, some people buy guns for violent acts while others buy them to face danger. This vicious cycle in the U.S. seems unlikely to disappear easily.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.