Requests for concealed-carry permits have significantly increased in the San Bernardino, Calif., area since the December 2 terrorist attack that left 14 people dead. In the month that followed that attack, San Bernardino County reported a nine-fold increase in applications. In nearby Riverside County, the surge in requests has a created a backlog so extensive that those applying will have to wait a year and a half just to meet with an official to submit an application.
The rush for new permits began directly after a radicalized Islamic couple attacked a county government holiday party held at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino last month. The weekend following the attack, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department received 75 applications—65 more than their normal average of ten. Cindy Bachman, a sheriff’s department spokeswoman, told USA Today that by the end of the month, deputies had received 750 applications, compared to a monthly average of 80.
