More and more Americans are filling out background checks to purchase firearms during the coronavirus pandemic, according to new figures released by the FBI.
The agency reported a 41% surge in background checks last month. More than 3 million background checks were conducted in March, the most conducted in a month since the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System was launched in 1998.
Illinois had the most background checks in March, followed by Texas, Kentucky, Florida and California.
Federally licensed gun dealers must run checks on every buyer, whether a purchase is made in a store or at a gun show. Buyers must provide the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives their age, address, race and any criminal history.
That information is then submitted to the FBI.
Background checks are the key barometer of gun sales, but the FBI’s monthly figures also incorporate checks for firearm permits that are required in some states. Each background check also could be for the sale of more than one gun.
The FBI numbers show that March had five of the top 10 days ever for background checks, including the day with the most, March 20, when more than 210,000 checks were conducted. The day before, California ordered all nonessential businesses to close.
Four of the top 10 weeks ever for checks have occurred since mid-February, including the week with the most, March 16-22, when nearly 1.2 million checks were done. In comparison, 2.64 million checks were conducted in March 2019, more than 1 million fewer than last month.
Of the 3.7 million background checks done last month, about 2.5 million represented firearm sales, an increase of about 85% over March 2019, according to estimates from Small Arms Analytics and Forecasting, which analyzes data on the firearms industry. Handgun sales increased by about 91%, while sales of long guns were up nearly 74 %, it said in a news release.
»MORE: 7-week-old infant may be coronavirus pandemic’s youngest victim
Last year already proved to be busy for the background check system, with a record 28.4 million conducted in 2019. That trend continued in January and February, with experts saying the numbers have been fueled by a concern among gun rights supporters during a presidential election year — that a potential Democratic president would institute to greater restrictions.
New U.S. Labor Department figures released Thursday show a record 6.6 million Americans filed unemployment claims last week, breaking a record set only two weeks ago that had stood since October 1982.
The surging layoffs have led many economists to envision as many as 20 million lost jobs by the end of April. The unemployment rate could spike to as high as 15% this month, above the previous record of 10.8% set during a deep recession in 1982.
»Click here to get the new AJC Mobile App
On Friday, the government will issue the March jobs report, which economists forecast will show a loss of 145,000 jobs. That report is based on data gathered mostly before the spike in layoffs began two weeks ago. Though relatively small, that loss would still end a record-long 113-month streak of job growth.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
About the Author
