WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – As coronavirus concerns continue to grow, more and more people are heading to gun stores – some for the first time.
“I’m very fearful about what I’m seeing,” Kris Brown said Monday.
Brown is the president of Brady, a gun violence prevention group. Brown said she’s heard about the long lines and is worried about the uptick of ownership.
“People are looking for things that make them feel safe but the problem with a gun is it’s a perception of safety that actually is bringing much-heightened risk to the very family members many people are trying to protect, and often that is kids,” she said.
Exact numbers from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System won’t be available for at least another week, but there are potentially hundreds of thousands of new gun owners, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation
“It’s a time of uncertainty and people are realizing that they might need to feel safe,” Amy Hunter from the National Rifle Association said Monday.
Hunter said she understands the reason for the uptick in gun sales and said the NRA is doing their part to make sure owners know how to use their firearms responsibly.
“Look, no other organization does more to promote gun safety than the National Rifle Association,” she said.
In New Jersey, the Governor has already shut down firearm dealerships during the coronavirus pandemic. The Second Amendment Foundation filed a federal lawsuit Monday.
