With a decision surrounding whether or not Darren Wilson will be charged for fatally shooting 18-year-old Michael Brown expected soon, gun sales have spiked in Ferguson, Mo. Wilson killed the teenager in the St. Louis suburb on Aug. 9.
CNN reports that Ferguson residents have been purchasing firearms as a safety precaution as the wait for a grand jury to make a decision about Wilson. According to CNN, the grand jury has a February deadline, but officials say a decision could come by the middle of the month.
CNN notes that, in light the of protests which took place following Brown's killing, gun sales have risen as residents anticipate that similar circumstances will accompany the grand jury's decision:
On Monday, Steven King, who owns Metro Shooting Supplies told CNN that customers bought 100 guns this weekend. A typical weekend brings in about 30 buyers.
People are afraid they are gonna throw Molotov cocktails, says King, referring to the mostly nonviolent protests that have taken place in Ferguson since the shooting.
The increase in gun sales reaches across racial and ethnic lines, he says.
A lot of black people coming in saying they are afraid of the hooliganism, he says.
James Knowles, Ferguson's mayor, told CNN that residents have informed him that they've purchased guns to protect themselves. This prompted him to remind police of the growing number of rookie gun owners. "It is a little frightening to think that somebody who is less trained may not have that restraint," he told CNN.
Local law enforcement has reportedly been stockpiling riot gear since August in preparation.
[via CNN]
