FUEL ON THE FIRE

March Was a Record Month for First-Time Gun Buyers After Atlanta, Boulder Mass Shootings

After attack in Atlanta and Boulder, the FBI completed nearly 4.7 million background checks in March—up by one million when compared to a year ago.

The wave of gun violence recorded in the United States this year appears to have driven a record demand for first-time firearm buyers. According to NPR, FBI data show that six of the all-time top 10 days for instant background checks—which are required by law before a licensed firearms retailer can hand over a gun—were recorded last month. Overall, the FBI completed nearly 4.7 million background checks in March—up by one million when compared to the same month in 2020. In January, over 4 million background checks were completed, and an additional 3.4 million checks were reported in February. James Densley, co-founder of The Violence Project, a nonprofit that tracks U.S. mass shootings, directly linked the record figures to the surge in mass-shootings in 2021. “We see this trend often—whenever high-profile mass shootings occur people begin stockpiling weapons out of fear that the government will restrict gun rights,” he said. “It’s a reactionary response.”