High Number of Background Checks for Firearms Purchase in April

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The FBI recorded 2.9 million background checks for the purchase of firearms in the month of April, the Washington Examiner reported. Under US federal law, all gun distributors must run background checks with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to ascertain buyers have no criminal record preventing them from owning a gun.

The FBI figures released on Monday showed a leveling off for April from the record 3.7 million checks conducted in March – but they nonetheless represent a strong drive to buy firearms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Washington Examiner reports that Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and California filed the highest number of background checks in April.

The rate of firearms purchase has been high despite a number of gun stores and shooting ranges being closed as “non-essential” businesses in state-wide COVID-19 lockdowns.

An Associated Press report stated that gun sales tend to rise during presidential election years anyway, as it is not known whether an incoming administration will restrict the purchase of firearms. Moreover, National Rifle Association spokeswoman Amy Hunter told CNN that more guns are sold during times of crisis such as the pandemic: “Firearm sales go up in times of uncertainty because Americans know their safety is ultimately in their own hands.”

The week of April 13-19 is one of 10 weeks with the highest number of gun sales since tracking began in 1998, the AP reports. The FBI conducted 766,739 checks that week. More than 12 million background checks have been conducted since the beginning of 2020.

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