Gun sales surge in Ferguson ahead of grand jury

[summer]

AP




FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Some suburban St. Louis gun dealers have been doing brisk business, particularly among first-time buyers, as fearful residents await a grand jury's decision on whether to indict the police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown.


Metro Shooting Supplies, in an area near the city's main airport, reports selling two to three times more weapons than usual in recent weeks — an average of 30 to 50 guns each day — while the jury prepares to conclude its three-month review of the case that sparked looting and weeks of sometimes-violent protests in August.



"We're selling everything that's not nailed down," owner Steven King said. "Police aren't going to be able to protect every single individual. If you don't prepare yourself and get ready for the worst, you have no one to blame but yourself."





The store's waiting list for private lessons and concealed-carry training classes extends into 2015.



Protest leaders say they are preparing for non-violent demonstrations after the grand jury's decision is announced, but they also acknowledge the risk of more unrest if the panel decides not to issue criminal charges against Darren Wilson, the white officer who shot Brown, who was black and unarmed.



Other gun dealers say their sales spikes are comparable to the increases seen soon after Brown's death on Aug. 9.


"I've probably sold more guns this past month than all of last year," said County Guns owner Adam Weinstein, who fended off looters last summer at his storefront on West Florissant Avenue, the roadway that was the scene of many nightly protests. Weinstein stood guard over his business with an assault rifle and pistol.



The store has since moved out of Ferguson — in part because of concerns about potential further violence.



First-time gun owners account for about 60 percent of his recent customers, King said. Among them is Dave Benne, who on Saturday purchased a Smith & Wesson handgun as shoppers swarmed the 8,600-square-foot showroom.



Benne said he's considered buying a gun for some time, but the events in Ferguson, a town that borders his community of Florissant and shares a school district with its neighbor, were the decisive factor.



"Everyone else has one," he said. "I figured I?d better too."




In this Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014 photo, Steven King, left, fills out paperwork while selling a handgu …

The St. Louis County Police Department reports a sharp increase in the number of concealed-carry permits issued since Brown's death compared with a year ago.



From May through July, the county issued fewer permits compared with 2013, records show. But from Aug. 1 through Nov. 12, officials issued 600 more permits, including more than twice as many in October as a year earlier. Fifty-three more permits were issued in the first eight business days of November than in all of November 2013.



Police spokesman Brian Schellman said "it would be naive" to say the increase has not been driven by concern over the grand jury decision.



The purchases are not limited to residents. The owner of an online business that sells tactical gear to law-enforcement agencies said his warehouse in the suburb of Chesterfield has been visited by Missouri state troopers and officers from the Department of Homeland Security assigned to help state and local police.



"None of us has ever seen anything quite like this before," said Chad Weinman of Cat5 Commerce, which operates the website TacticalGear.com. "There is an uncertainty in the air that has my entire staff on edge. To say that St. Louis residents are concerned about what will transpire in the coming days is an understatement."



At the Ferguson Wal-Mart, one of more than a dozen stores attacked the night after Brown's death, managers have removed ammunition from shelves as a precaution.



The move to make the ammo less visible apparently did not deter customers. A manager said Monday that the store had sold most of its supply of bullets.

[IIOY]

Nov 19, 2014 7:53:58 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

all of my white trash family members are loudly declaring they are "locked and loaded" and they have itchy trigger fingers. too bad they wont all shoot themselves.

You are so wrong for this but I'm laughing.

[NewOrleans]

Because one dead big scary black guy black kid in Ferguson isn't enough.

Get the fuck out of here with this.  

[Vespasia]

Nov 19, 2014 8:04:14 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

did i post on here that a NPO has paid for a billboard in ferguson that reads "pants UP dont LOOT"?

Your sig goes perfectly with this.


I think this is a great idea. We all know good guys with guns can solve any problems. 

[anodyne]

It is getting ridiculous here. My cop friend told me yesterday that the poltiticans and media are DOWNPLAYING what may happen. i hope he doesn't know something more than they are reporting, bacause in my mind they are overeacting and sensationalizing this.

[josieposy]

If I were a local pizza delivery guy I'd probably be investing in a bulletproof vest with all this paranoia right now.

[anodyne]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't sagging out of style? I am fashion challenged and pay no attention to men's fashion, but I have been trying to pay attention and don't think I have seen it that often.

[jlt19]

THESE are the people I'm afraid of.

[jln]

More white men with guns in Ferguson = more black men/boys dead.

[tacosforlife]

Nov 19, 2014 9:54:38 GMT -5 anodyne said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't sagging out of style? I am fashion challenged and pay no attention to men's fashion, but I have been trying to pay attention and don't think I have seen it that often.

I'd say it's 50/50 based solely on what I see on Metro. I see plenty of young men with normal waisted or just ever so slightly saggy jeans. And then I see some sagging. Occasionally extreme - like the guy whose pants where so low that I could make out the contours of individual buttcheeks through his boxers. I don't think it's as pervasive as it once was, though. I definitely see a fair number of hipster boys in skinny jeans.

[sparrowsong]

Because nothing helps a volatile situation like a bunch of impulsively purchased firearms.

[meshaliuknits]

Nov 19, 2014 9:54:38 GMT -5 anodyne said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't sagging out of style? I am fashion challenged and pay no attention to men's fashion, but I have been trying to pay attention and don't think I have seen it that often.

No. No it's not. Like 80% of the boys/men of all races/ethnicities I see when I'm out and about are sagging. It's the fashion statement that just.won't.die.

[meshaliuknits]

Nov 19, 2014 11:44:31 GMT -5 @choco said:

Nov 19, 2014 11:41:50 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I'd say it's 50/50 based solely on what I see on Metro. I see plenty of young men with normal waisted or just ever so slightly saggy jeans. And then I see some sagging. Occasionally extreme - like the guy whose pants where so low that I could make out the contours of individual buttcheeks through his boxers. I don't think it's as pervasive as it once was, though. I definitely see a fair number of hipster boys in skinny jeans.

What kills me are those who wear skinny jeans and still make an attempt to sag. WTF?

YES!!!

CHOOSE A STYLE! WE'RE AT WAR!!!

[josieposy]

How do you sag in skinnies? I need a pic.

[anodyne]

Nov 19, 2014 11:45:58 GMT -5 sparrowsong said:

Because nothing helps a volatile situation like a bunch of impulsively purchased firearms.

How else are we to defend ourselevs against the brown savages that are no doubt going to come to a suburban subdivision, three miles away from the highway, onto our peaceful cul de sac and throw a rock? 

[anodyne]

Nov 19, 2014 11:49:56 GMT -5 josieposy said:

How do you sag in skinnies? I need a pic.

How about a tutorial?

Oh dear lord I didn't watch all 4 minutes of it. Sorry.

[jillboston]

Nov 19, 2014 11:54:18 GMT -5 anodyne said:

Nov 19, 2014 11:45:58 GMT -5 sparrowsong said:

Because nothing helps a volatile situation like a bunch of impulsively purchased firearms.

How else are we to defend ourselevs against the brown savages that are no doubt going to come to a suburban subdivision, three miles away from the highway, onto our peaceful cul de sac and throw a rock? 

or worse yet walk in the middle of the street.

[elleblue]

I honest to God feel like doing the above upon reading the title of this post. 

[Velar Fricative]

This is just one of those things where I have to keep reminding myself that people just react differently to stuff. If I want to feel safer, my mind just never goes to getting a gun. But where I grew up, that's not atypical.

At the same time, my head is exploding because paranoid people + media + racial/ethnic tensions + guns = not a good thing.

[meshaliuknits]

Nov 19, 2014 11:49:56 GMT -5 josieposy said:

How do you sag in skinnies? I need a pic.

You forcefully pull the waist down until they are halfway down your ass.

Bright side: The tightness of the legs means you don't need a belt or have to worry about your pants actually falling down.

[elleblue]

Nov 19, 2014 11:49:56 GMT -5 josieposy said:

How do you sag in skinnies? I need a pic.

Bieber diaper butt (most aren't this extreme). 

[sushi]

Nov 19, 2014 7:53:58 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

all of my white trash family members are loudly declaring they are "locked and loaded" and they have itchy trigger fingers. too bad they wont all shoot themselves.

I, for one, don't underestimate your family. There will be a mishap somewhere.

[anodyne]

We were saying?


www.cnn.com/2014/11/23/us/ferguson-woman-kills-herself/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter


Police: Woman allegedly kills herself with gun bought to prepare for Ferguson unrest
By CNN Justice Reporter Evan Perez and Producer Shimon Prokupecz
updated 6:58 PM EST, Sun November 23, 2014

St. Louis (CNN) -- A woman appears to have accidentally fatally shot herself in the head with a gun bought to prepare for possible Ferguson-related unrest, according to sources briefed on the police investigation.
The shooting occurred Friday night in downtown St. Louis, the city's Metropolitan Police Department said, in an area dominated by vacant lots beside a football stadium.
The female victim, identified in a police report as Becca Campbell, 26, was a passenger in a car involved in an auto accident. Her 33-year-old boyfriend was driving, the sources told CNN.
The boyfriend, who wasn't identified, told police that the couple had bought a gun because of fears of unrest related to the pending grand jury decision on the shooting of Michael Brown, the sources said.
He told investigators that as they drove late Friday night, the victim waved a gun, jokingly saying the couple were ready for Ferguson, the sources said.
He ducked to get out of the way of the gun and accidentally rear-ended another car. He said the accident caused the gun to go off and she was struck by a bullet in the head, the sources said.
The victim was rushed to a hospital but died.
The investigation is continuing because police want to be sure the story as told by the boyfriend is correct, the sources said. Police are awaiting gun trace results, as part of the ongoing investigation.

[ttt]

You know where gun sales should be surging? Charlottesville, VA

[maybebabiesrus]

Nov 19, 2014 13:00:57 GMT -5 elleblue said:

Nov 19, 2014 11:49:56 GMT -5 josieposy said:

How do you sag in skinnies? I need a pic.

Bieber diaper butt (most aren't this extreme). 

Beiber has on dropped crotch pants, which he also might be sagging, but they aren't "sagging skinny jeans."

Lil Wayne though...

[anodyne]

Nov 23, 2014 22:11:06 GMT -5 tillie said:

Nov 19, 2014 11:37:44 GMT -5 jln said:

More white men with guns in Ferguson = more black men/boys dead.

Where in the article say it was more white people buying guns?

It doesn't.  But living here and seeing this story time and again on the local tv news, newspapers, online, etc. showing photos and videos of the customers, I think this is a fair assumption.  Of all I have seen only one video on twitter was of a black woman trying to purchase a gun. 

[jlt19]

Some moron shot herself in the head shortly after buying a gun. THIS is where the problem lies. People are out buying guns to "protect" themselves but they have NO clue how to use them or anything about gun safety. People are going to be shooting each other for the tiniest infarctions now b/c tensions are so high.

And I agree it's more whites buying right now. They're afraid of the "big bad blacks" that are going to be infiltrating their neighborhoods once a decision is made, don't you know. FB and news comments are ripe with these idiots.

[cinnamoncox]

Nov 23, 2014 19:49:45 GMT -5 anodyne said:

We were saying?


www.cnn.com/2014/11/23/us/ferguson-woman-kills-herself/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter


Police: Woman allegedly kills herself with gun bought to prepare for Ferguson unrest
By CNN Justice Reporter Evan Perez and Producer Shimon Prokupecz
updated 6:58 PM EST, Sun November 23, 2014

St. Louis (CNN) -- A woman appears to have accidentally fatally shot herself in the head with a gun bought to prepare for possible Ferguson-related unrest, according to sources briefed on the police investigation.
The shooting occurred Friday night in downtown St. Louis, the city's Metropolitan Police Department said, in an area dominated by vacant lots beside a football stadium.
The female victim, identified in a police report as Becca Campbell, 26, was a passenger in a car involved in an auto accident. Her 33-year-old boyfriend was driving, the sources told CNN.
The boyfriend, who wasn't identified, told police that the couple had bought a gun because of fears of unrest related to the pending grand jury decision on the shooting of Michael Brown, the sources said.
He told investigators that as they drove late Friday night, the victim waved a gun, jokingly saying the couple were ready for Ferguson, the sources said.
He ducked to get out of the way of the gun and accidentally rear-ended another car. He said the accident caused the gun to go off and she was struck by a bullet in the head, the sources said.
The victim was rushed to a hospital but died.
The investigation is continuing because police want to be sure the story as told by the boyfriend is correct, the sources said. Police are awaiting gun trace results, as part of the ongoing investigation.

Oh for chrissake. She was waving it around saying they're ready, and joking around? So him ducking to avoid the gun is what caused the accident that caused the gun to go off? Unbelievable. What a sequence of events.

[jlt19]

Nov 24, 2014 11:03:12 GMT -5 cinnamoncox said:

Nov 23, 2014 19:49:45 GMT -5 anodyne said:

We were saying?


www.cnn.com/2014/11/23/us/ferguson-woman-kills-herself/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter


Police: Woman allegedly kills herself with gun bought to prepare for Ferguson unrest
By CNN Justice Reporter Evan Perez and Producer Shimon Prokupecz
updated 6:58 PM EST, Sun November 23, 2014

St. Louis (CNN) -- A woman appears to have accidentally fatally shot herself in the head with a gun bought to prepare for possible Ferguson-related unrest, according to sources briefed on the police investigation.
The shooting occurred Friday night in downtown St. Louis, the city's Metropolitan Police Department said, in an area dominated by vacant lots beside a football stadium.
The female victim, identified in a police report as Becca Campbell, 26, was a passenger in a car involved in an auto accident. Her 33-year-old boyfriend was driving, the sources told CNN.
The boyfriend, who wasn't identified, told police that the couple had bought a gun because of fears of unrest related to the pending grand jury decision on the shooting of Michael Brown, the sources said.
He told investigators that as they drove late Friday night, the victim waved a gun, jokingly saying the couple were ready for Ferguson, the sources said.
He ducked to get out of the way of the gun and accidentally rear-ended another car. He said the accident caused the gun to go off and she was struck by a bullet in the head, the sources said.
The victim was rushed to a hospital but died.
The investigation is continuing because police want to be sure the story as told by the boyfriend is correct, the sources said. Police are awaiting gun trace results, as part of the ongoing investigation.

Oh for chrissake. She was waving it around saying they're ready, and joking around? So him ducking to avoid the gun is what caused the accident that caused the gun to go off? Unbelievable. What a sequence of events.

Oh, I didn't see this posted, oops!

But yeah, morons. IF it's true (obviously they're looking into the guy's story).

[anodyne]

Nov 24, 2014 11:08:00 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Nov 24, 2014 11:03:12 GMT -5 cinnamoncox said:

Oh for chrissake. She was waving it around saying they're ready, and joking around? So him ducking to avoid the gun is what caused the accident that caused the gun to go off? Unbelievable. What a sequence of events.

Oh, I didn't see this posted, oops!

But yeah, morons. IF it's true (obviously they're looking into the guy's story).

It has since come out on Twitter that she was a protester. Something is odd with this story. Either the bf killed her or it was a horrible, strange accident and the title is misleading.