NORFOLK, Neb (KTIV/US92) -
At some gun stores, the fear of greater gun control in the wake of the Connecticut school shooting has sparked sales.
The Newtown, Connecticut tragedy has left some with a sense that guns are too readily available. But one Norfolk, Nebraska, gun retailer says since Friday they've been having a hard time keeping up with the demand for guns. Tom Newman, Norfolk Gun Retailer says, "Now, after this shooting's gone on, it's been chaos in this store."
Store owners say this past weekend was their biggest selling weekend this year by far. And, while they don't have exact numbers, they think it rivals their most profitable weekends ever.
So why the increased demand in the wake of one of the deadliest shootings in U.S. History? Newman says, "They just think we're going to stop the sale of automatic weapons. That's what they've been saying. That's what the big scare is."
Newman's shop is situated in downtown Norfolk... not even a mile up the road from Norfolk Senior High School. It's a proximity that would make some uneasy given recent events, but store owners say they think increased education about guns would help immensely. Newman says, "They should have it mandatory that everyone takes a hunter's safety course, even in schools... everybody. That way they know what it's all about."
But, for now, owners say they don't see the recent uptick in sales ending any time soon. Newman says, "Everybody thinks they have to own a pistol, I guess. It's all walks of life."
