Long-gun sales in Florida surged more than 12 percent in February after the mass school shooting in Parkland reignited the national gun control debate.
The FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which screens gun purchases from licensed firearms dealers, shows that in checks in Florida last month went up 12.6 percent for sales of long guns — a category that includes semi-automatic rifles such as the AR-15, which was used by the 19-year-old gunman who fatally shot 14 students and three teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14.
Meanwhile, long-gun checks nationwide were up 3 percent for the month, Bloomberg reported.
The Valentine’s Day massacre sparked nationwide scrutiny over semi-automatic rifles, with student survivors of the shooting calling for an outright ban against so-called “assault weapons.” Politically motivated gun sales were previously dormant under Republican President Trump, but the debate has apparently renewed fears of sweeping gun control legislation.
“Is fear-based buying back? Given all the recent headlines and rhetoric, we would argue yes, for the moment,” KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Brett Andress told Bloomberg.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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