Leading Indicator of Firearm Sales Increases During COVID-19
Requests to the Oregon State Police for firearm instant background checks (FICS) have increased dramatically since the declaration of the pandemic on March 13, 2020. FICS are requested for firearm purchases, transfers, and applications for concealed handgun license permits. Statewide, FICS requests have increased by 49% in 2020 compared to the same time period for 2019. A firearm in the home doubles the risk of homicide and triples the risk of suicide (Anglemyer 2014). Additionally, a firearm is stolen every two minutes in the United States. (International Chiefs of Police and FBI)