St. Louis Area Gun Sales ‘Through The Roof’
[su_right_ad]In the wake of rioting and looting in Ferguson following the death of Michael Brown, gun sales are spiking in the area.
Mid America Arms in South County reported that firearm sales were up by about 50 percent on Tuesday.
Customers are loading up on semi-automatic handguns and shotguns, said Al Rothweiler, one of the owners…
“The things that have gone on (locally) have made people act,” Rothweiler said. He said he was glad that business was good, “but I don’t like selling on fear.”
At Bull’s Eye on Manchester Road in St. Louis, sales were up “a little bit,” an employee said.
At Metro Shooting Supplies in Bridgeton sales are “through the roof,” said John Stephenson, a general manager.
D.B. Hirsch is a political activist, news junkie, and retired ad copy writer and spin doctor. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
edmeyer_able August 13th, 2014 at 9:00 am
With the rate of ‘accidental’ shootings in the US on the rise I wonder what the multiplier effect will be from the death of Michael Brown.
bahlers August 17th, 2014 at 5:49 pm
And from what reputable source are you getting your “statistics”?
edmeyer_able August 17th, 2014 at 5:58 pm
Any source I sight would not meet your high standards so take it somewhere else.
bahlers August 17th, 2014 at 6:01 pm
Not necessarily, its just that the CDC has the number of accidental gun deaths at its lowest point since 1981, that has me a little skeptical. But if you have any source, whether reputable or not, I would like to see it.
edmeyer_able August 17th, 2014 at 6:34 pm
My computer is acting screwy right now and I’m not going to argue the case of is the rate rising or falling. I do know that if more guns are owned there will be more gun “accidents”.
I will leave you with this however..
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/01/27/3206581/kids-gun-violence-killed-injuries/
bahlers August 17th, 2014 at 6:40 pm
What I’m saying has nothing to do with the rate, it has to do with the absolute numbers, which would also imply that the rate is declining as well, since the US population is constantly rising.
And using an article that bases their definition of children as anyone under the age of 20 is hardly a reliable source of info.
edmeyer_able August 17th, 2014 at 6:42 pm
And I think I predicted you would say that 2 answers ago…good bye.
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 9:13 am
An understandable response if a riot breaks out in your town.
edmeyer_able August 13th, 2014 at 9:27 am
Would your response be the same if the firearms were being purchased by minorities?
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 9:40 am
Given that they are the ones who make up the majority of the population of Ferguson, I certainly hope they’re purchasing them, to defend their homes and businesses from the opportunists who don’t care about justice but are simply out to thrive on chaos.
Foundryman August 13th, 2014 at 9:42 am
Oh, you must mean the police with their riot gear and teargas, they certainly do thrive on chaos.
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 9:44 am
Yes, they wear all that when they’re burning down businesses and looting sporting good stores and beauty supply shops for justice.
mea_mark August 13th, 2014 at 9:50 am
And suppressing people angry about unarmed civilians being gunned down by them. I think everybody should have the right to protest the gunning down of unarmed civilians in whatever way they wish. If the government doesn’t like it then it shouldn’t do it and should be very contrite when it happens do everything in their power to make sure it doesn’t happen again. When it looks like a cover-up and transparency isn’t there, people should protest. Government murdering it’s unarmed civilians is absolutely wrong.
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 9:54 am
I saw no suppression at the vigil Sunday night. I saw no suppression at the march the next day.
I didn’t see nearly enough suppression Sunday night, after the vigil, when opportunistic criminals ran rampant, and I saw a little too much suppression the next night when police made an effort to ensure that it didn’t repeat.
whatthe46 August 13th, 2014 at 6:25 pm
exactly.
bahlers August 17th, 2014 at 5:45 pm
Sorry, but looting stores, vandalism, chanting for the death of the police are not acceptable forms of protest. In fact, all are considered illegal acts, especially when there is an angry mob around, and your words could potentially spark the mob to act.
edmeyer_able August 13th, 2014 at 10:54 am
Yet there is no evidence of the police being present when these lootings were taking place.
I have owned guns for 55 years and never have I thought about using one for self-defense. A safer means of defense for the occupants of a residence would be a can of wasp spray that shoots out to 20′ and is in fact recommended by some over pepper spray since it can be used at such a distance.
mea_mark August 13th, 2014 at 11:05 am
The wasp spray is also very effective against varmints that get in. Living out in the country it happens sometimes. And it doesn’t leave holes in the walls. I keep a can in my bedroom.
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 11:33 am
That’s a cool thing to know, and I’ll pass it along to my wife for when she’s home alone.
Although then I have to deal with the later lawsuit from an intruder who wants me to pay his medical bills for being blinded by wasp spray.
edmeyer_able August 13th, 2014 at 11:40 am
Tell her to keep a can in the car as well.
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 11:51 am
That’s a good backup. But the car itself is the first weapon of choice, as I’ve instructed her.
John Norris August 13th, 2014 at 6:27 pm
if she keeps it in the car, do not leave it in direct sunlight…. had a few blow up/pop open in my work van…. kinda really sucked at least i wasnt driving when they went….(i work in HVAC, use up a few cases of wasp spray every summer)
mea_mark August 13th, 2014 at 8:33 pm
Bug free van though. For fun sometimes I like to throw the nearly empty ones in the camp fire. They blow up real nice. Just make sure you are about 30 feet away.
whatthe46 August 13th, 2014 at 6:24 pm
you were being funny right?
Carla Akins August 13th, 2014 at 6:26 pm
Evidently you do need the italics.
R.J. Carter August 14th, 2014 at 12:32 am
No sarcasm employed. Google up ” intruder wounded sues” when you have a spare afternoon.
Carla Akins August 14th, 2014 at 4:46 am
Oh, I’m familiar.
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 11:30 am
That was rather my point to Foundryman — that it wasn’t the police thriving on the chaos, but the looters. Because as you say, the police were not present.
edmeyer_able August 13th, 2014 at 11:31 am
Over 50 arrests were made of the perps, wonder how many were locals and how many from outside the area?
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 11:32 am
No need to wonder. Those statistics are out there. Almost all the looters were NOT from Ferguson, but from St. Louis city.
mea_mark August 13th, 2014 at 9:26 am
So if gun makers want to sell lots of guns all they have to do is get a cop to gun down an unarmed black kid, wonderful.
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 9:45 am
No, but when it comes to home defense it’s a far sight better than a hammer.
rg9rts August 13th, 2014 at 10:19 am
And you have been attacked in your home how many times?? Do you have a latent urge to be like that clown that murdered the woman that knocked on his door for help after a car accident and he blew her away because it was 4:30 and she was black?? He WAS CONVICTED of murder.
rg9rts August 13th, 2014 at 10:21 am
So much for stand your your ground
Jeff Allen August 13th, 2014 at 10:39 am
because that example defines every gun owner
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 11:26 am
Zero.
And I intend to keep it that way.
Pistol-Packing August 13th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Yes, there is no doubt that man made a crucial mistake. And a young person died, and he will spend the rest of his life in jail. But why dont you tell the rest of the story as to how it happened…
mea_mark August 13th, 2014 at 10:44 am
I prefer a 36 inch long 1/2 inch metal dowel myself that I have trained myself in on how to use. I can take someone out very easily with it and if it is taken away from me my attacker does not likely have the training to use it effectively. The best weapon is the one you know how to use that your attacker cannot take away from you and use.
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 11:27 am
We’re not all Steven Seagal.
mea_mark August 13th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
I’m not either, that’s for sure. It was just something I originally picked up when going through physical therapy.
bahlers August 17th, 2014 at 5:40 pm
And if your attacker is on some kind of mind altering drug that takes away their sense of pain, your plan is to hit them with the dowel?
edmeyer_able August 13th, 2014 at 11:06 am
So do you have any statistics of a rise in home invasion or any at all in the past?
R.J. Carter August 13th, 2014 at 11:28 am
Thankfully, I don’t have to care if it rises or not. I’m prepared either way.
Bunya August 13th, 2014 at 4:12 pm
…and far more deadlier. There’s no second guessing a bullet to the heart from 10 feet away.
Pistol-Packing August 13th, 2014 at 11:52 am
While the rioters went on a looting binge, 2 stores were not touched. I wonder why??
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2014/08/ferguson_riots_north_county_business_owners_some_armed_survey_the_damage.php
whatthe46 August 13th, 2014 at 6:21 pm
is thatn the same part of town?
lol
Pistol-Packing August 13th, 2014 at 7:24 pm
actually, it was. the dollar store in the same strip mall was ransacked. Maybe reading the accompanying link would have helped you…
R.J. Carter August 14th, 2014 at 12:30 am
Can’t steal a tattoo.
Pistol-Packing August 14th, 2014 at 6:48 am
No, but you can destroy the store, and the store next to the tattoo parlor was a gun shop.
Larry Schmitt August 13th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
But, but, I thought Obama was taking all our guns away.
tiredoftea August 13th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
Oops! I guess he hasn’t gotten around to those, yet!
tiredoftea August 13th, 2014 at 12:42 pm
White paranoia runs deep, into your life it will creep. It starts when you’re always afraid…
bahlers August 17th, 2014 at 5:37 pm
If you are protecting yourself/family from crimes that are happening, are you still paranoid?
fancypants August 13th, 2014 at 1:11 pm
what else did you expect from tea party central. An increase in floral sales ?