Between the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide protests, Americans are concerned about their personal safety. Gun sales have spiked significantly this year. In the 12 days following President Trump’s COVID-19 emergency declaration in March, firearm sales skyrocketed from an average of 92,000 per day to over 120,000.
As research by the Brookings Institution shows, the protests following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis had a similar effect.
The onset of these protests started another surge in firearm sales, reaching 150,000 per day on June 2 and June 3. The protests faded but, as public discussions about Black Lives Matter and defunding the police persisted, firearm sales remained elevated throughout the month of June. As a result of these events, firearm sales in June were the highest on record (since data collection began in 1998), with 3.9 million firearms sold.
We’re discussing gun sales and the pandemic with Guns & America reporter Jason deBruyn.
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