Several gun shop owners are saying weapons are flying off their shelves since the mass shooting Omar Mateen carried out at an Orlando gay nightclub.
It's not looming changes for gun laws that are driving people to get guns. Some people who've never shot a gun before want one after the massacre at Pulse, where 49 people were killed and 53 injured.
"People are afraid. They're afraid of what's going on and everybody wants to protect themselves, and protect their families. That's just the way it is," said Instant Replay Gun and Pawn manager, Luis Lugo.
Gun sales spiked around Orlando after Sunday's mass shooting, and at Instant Replay, Lugo said so did requests for training and conceal carry permits.
"Before, it was just as a hobby, for sport, or maybe competition," Lugo said. "There's so many different things. Now people are just taking it to another level and using it for self-protection."
FBI records show it is typical for gun sales to spike after mass shootings.
Sales went up in 2007 after the Virginia Tech massacre, which has now slipped to second place in America's list of deadliest mass shootings. And gun sales went up significantly in 2012 after the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting and the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
"Everybody's just in fear (for) their life. They don't know what's going to happen next," said Lugo.
Handguns seem to be the most popular, but Lugo said five AR-15s, which have been sitting on his shelves for months, all sold this week. It's a gun that is easier to get than others because there's no wait period required to buy it, like handguns.
Lugo said he hopes everyone rushing out to buy guns will use them responsibly.
"Get the proper training, go to the range, shoot and just train regularly, and just prepare yourself, he said.
Lugo said in addition to mass shootings, gun sales also spike when there's talk of gun laws changing.
About the Author