Concealed Carry Permit Inquiries Jump In Wake Of San Bernardino Terror Attack
RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — Jeff Lassek applied for a Concealed Carry Weapons permit - or CCW - after the San Bernardino shootings four weeks ago.
Since the recent terrorist attack, interest in CCWs has grown, with hundreds of new telephone inquires in Riverside County and a long wait for the required interview.
"I believe in my heart that I would've stood up and done something even with risk to myself as well," said Lassek.
Lassek owns a 9mm handgun and says he plans on wearing it once he's approved for his CCW.
"They gave me a date of 9 a.m., May 1, which sounded good until he told me year 2017," he said. "I was quite surprised. He said they've had such a huge demand," he added.
Patricia Aguirre works at Bullseye Guns in Riverside, but lives in San Bernardino County, where there have been 750 new CCW applications since the shootings.
"I was always a 'Yes I'm gonna get it, I'll go do it later', but I live in San Bernardino and its like now I have to do it," said Aguirre.
Vince Torres, who owns the gun shop, says after Dec. 2 most of his guns have sold for home defense.
"No. 1 firearm is the Shield, a .40 caliber but it also comes in 9 [millimeter], number one in U.S mainly because of the concealment part of it," Torres said.
A Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman told Cruz "there had not been any increase in concealed carry permit applications or requests for applications" since the shootings.