CHARLOTTE (AP) — The number of gun purchases in North Carolina is rising based on an analysis of federal background checks.
The Charlotte Observer reported Monday that the FBI in March conducted its highest number of background checks this year on North Carolina firearms buyers.
The agency performed about 90,000 background checks. That’s up from 72,000 in February.
Some gun shop owners say the rise in gun purchases is driven by fear of stricter gun laws and mass shootings.
But the $1,400 in federal stimulus checks are also a factor. Larry Hyatt, owner of Hyatt Guns, said the stimulus money was “the secret ingredient we didn’t have before.”
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