Gun Stores Say People Are Stocking Up In Wake Of Ferguson Clashes

[onehandle]

Source: TPM

Gun stores in Missouri reported on Tuesday that they were seeing a spike in sales following the fatal shooting of teen Michael Brown and the ensuing confrontations between police and citizens.

Owner Steve King told the St. Louis Business Journal that his store, Metro Shooting, had seen a 50 percent increase, which he attributed to the violence taking place in Ferguson, a St. Louis suburb.

"We've sold a variety of handguns, shotguns and AR-15s (a semi-automatic rifle)," King said. "All of the sales are having to do with home defense. … Lots of people are afraid."

Al Rothweiler, owner of Mid America Arms, experienced the same influx of customers flocking to his store.

[IMG][/IMG]

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ferguson-shooting-increased-gun-sales

---

Teh Black is a real teh problem in gun culture, gun activist 'merica.

[IMG][/IMG]

[abelenkpe]

1. Sick

Smiling while profiting from peoples racism and fear.

[happyslug]

16. I hate to say this MOST people smile when they are ask by a photographer

Now most Mug Shots photos have people in them not smiling, but rarely does the police photographer asks the subject of the photo to smile.

On the other hand, when professional photographers take a photo they ask people to smile.

Sorry, that these two salespersons are smiling means nothing, except they were asked to do so by the Photographer.

[booley]

18. how do you know that's not just a stock photo?

Does it say when that photo was taken?

[oldandhappy]

2. just wondering

Are the people buying guns already gun owners? Are any of the people buying guns now new gun owners?

[1StrongBlackMan]

3. I wonder if the reporters ...

had the courage to ask, "How many of the increase is attributed to Black purchasers?" Because, I think this OP might apply:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025376262

[catnhatnh]

7. If one of the store owners announced....

....that 87% of the new purchasers were black, err, err, well, I think that might be fun to watch.

[1StrongBlackMan]

8. Fun for some to watch on the 11:00 p.m. news ...

Maybe, but as a Black man, I wouldn't want to be anywhere in the state.

[catnhatnh]

9. I'm sorry and you are right...

No buts or defending it. I just didn't think.

[1StrongBlackMan]

10. Not a problem ...

But a part of me is taken to the Black Panthers and the Deacons of Defense ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335034/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl )

[catnhatnh]

12. Not yet on Netflix...

but I'm going to find it. Thanks

[1StrongBlackMan]

14. I knew about the Deacons ...

long ago ... then, the movie came out in 2003 and bought the VHS. My daughter did a research project on them and actually interviewed one of the origin "Deacons." It gave her a "different" perspective of OURistory (as opposed to History).

[davidpdx]

11. My guess is there are very few reporters that would have the guts to ask a question like that

I hate to say it, but if they did I'd enjoy seeing a video of it and how much the freaked out when asked that.

[pscot]

4. People stock up

every time Wayne La Pierre drops his hankie.

[SoapBox]

5. The paranoid sickos...

Feed their delusional state of mind.

[Historic NY]

6. Yes the minority is buying guns..

WTF.

[logosoco]

13. In the past 6 years or so I have seen gun shops open up.

In west St. Louis county, where I would not expect it (upper middle class suburb), in a nearby city in my own county (Jefferson, to the south of St. Louis county and city) and one here in my unincorporated city ( I secretly hope they are not doing business and will fold like other businesses have in the past!).

I have no need or desire to arm myself at all. But all of the people around me arming themselves scares me. That seems like a rational fear, especially when the news is full of shootings (accidental and not). I will not let it control my life.

I am not even sure who these people are really afraid of. Do they feel like they are arming themselves from "the government"? Now that we see what the police can bring to a community (like Ferguson), I am not sure what one would need to protect themselves from that(it is scary to see the pictures and know how close that is and how much it looks like a war zone). Are is it just all the other people that have personal weapons? If so, doesn't this just feed the fear and the need to buy arms?

If only we were investing in solar power because we were afraid of climate change. That would make me feel safe.

Edited to add: my mothers home was broken into today in St. Louis County, 20 minutes south of Ferguson). All they got was a cheap tv and some costume jewelery. I don't think she or I feel that guns would have helped. In fact, if she had weapons, maybe they would have been stolen. (Up to now it has been a very safe neighborhood for over 40 years and I really don't think that changes it. I think people are economically desperate).

[MyNameGoesHere]

15. In response to any thing gun related the humpers

provide their only solution. Moar gunz. Talk about limited brain power.

[samsingh]

17. gun sellers are so happy

[booley]

19. It's always the fear.

Gun stores are just a symptom.

It's really about the fear. That always drives up gun sales.

News about shootings?

Buy Guns because you're afraid someone will shoot you.

Someone (anyone) talking about gun control?

Buy Guns because you're afraid someone will take away the guns.

Now Police shootings.

Buy guns because somehow having a gun will make cops less likely to shoot black men.

You know, I am beginning to think a constant atmosphere of fear and this idea that the solution to being afraid is getting lot so weapons in case you need to kill someone isn't' really helping.