Gun sales and concealed carry permit applications have been soaring in Washington state following the heinous September 23 attack that left five dead at Cascade Mall in Burlington, Washington.
Skagit Arms is located in Burlington, and store owner Anthon Steen indicates that sales of small, concealed carry-type pistols are surging.
According to The Seattle Times, Steen said, “Typically this time of year we are busy with hunting stuff. We got a double whammy recently because of the increase in handgun sales.” Store manager Guy Hanson pointed to the case that holds concealable handguns and said, “We usually have a lot more than this. This case isn’t even full.”
The demand for personal protection has led to a run on the guns.
Demand for concealed carry permits has witnessed a similar boost. Anacortes Police Chief Bonnie Bowers released a statement indicating the demand for concealed carry permits is “eight times” as high as it was prior to the mall attack. And Lin Tucker, Sedro-Woolley police chief, said his department tied a one-day record for concealed permit applications in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Cascade Mall.
Tucker described demand as “through the roof.”
Anacortes resident Mary Parker was one of the residents seeking a concealed carry permit after the attack. She said, “I want to make sure it would never happen to me and that if it did, I would be prepared. I want to be in a place where I will never be afraid.”
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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