Danbury, Conn., has seen a hefty spike in gun permits this year. Concerned about potential gun-control legislation and doubting the government’s ability to protect them, citizens have snapped up 16,000 permits so far this year. That compares to 25,000 in all of 2013.
As Bethel Police Chief Jeffrey Finch notes, “People I know who couldn’t be bothered with guns before now want to get an AR-15, because they think their right to buy one is going to be taken away.”
This surge in permits isn’t limited to Danbury only, though—it’s occurring on a national level. “We are seeing all over the country, Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights because they see the government cannot always be there,” said NRA Spokesperson Catherine Mortensen. “From the San Bernardino shooting in December to the Orlando shooting last month, Americans want to protect and defend themselves, and that is part of what you are seeing in Connecticut.”
