LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Groceries and toilet paper aren't the only things flying off shelves. There's been a run on guns. 13 Investigates Anchor Tricia Kean shows the surge in gun sales in the final days before the shops closed down.
"It’s out of this world. It’s never happened before," says Kris Chansky, general manager at The Range 702.
She says business is unbelievable.
"We cannot keep things on the shelf for more than just a couple of hours," says Kris.
Before closing to the public, she says business was booming. Empty display cases and walls show just how much the place was cleaned out. Kris says most customers were first time gun buyers.
"Almost 100%. I would say somewhere between 90 to 95%. So we’ve been doing a lot of on the fly safety training," says Kris.
Those customers have to go through a background check before heading home with a weapon. That used to take about an hour or two. Now it takes days.
"But when this kind of stuff happens, they said it’s like 3 to 5 turnaround days," says gun owner, Tyler.
He was in the Army and says he's been surprised by the recent number of friends wanting to buy a gun.
"I actually had friends that came up here and said we’re totally against this. But can you kind of tell us, because my prior military experience, can you kind of tell us what to get? What not to get?" says Tyler.
With nonessential businesses closing and resources in short supply, Tyler says he and other gun owners just want to be prepared for anything.
"Hopefully defend my family. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that. But you know, just for home defense," says Tyler.
First time gun owners are able to pick up their weapons by appointment at The Range 702, after they pass the necessary background check.
If you do own a gun, remember to keep unattended firearms locked up and unloaded. Recent data shows more than four million U.S. children and teens live in homes where loaded guns are kept unsecured.
