Gun Sales Rise After Conn. Home Invasion

**WhiteFeather** · July 31st, 2007, 09:51 AM

Imagine this concept, people wanting firearms to protect themselves from criminals, what a novel idea, note the waiting period.

http://www.wfsb.com/news/13763446/detail.html

WFSB.com
Gun Sales Rise After Cheshire Home Invasion
Security Company Says Phones Ringing Off Hook

POSTED: 5:00 pm EDT July 26, 2007
UPDATED: 5:08 pm EDT July 26, 2007

NEWINGTON, Conn. -- State gun sales have shot up in the days after the wife and two daughters of a prominent Connecticut physician were killed, according to a local gun shop owner.

Scott Hoffman runs Hoffman's Gun Center on the Berlin Turnpike. In the past few days, following the triple homicide in Cheshire, Hoffman said that people have been rushing to his store to buy guns for themselves and their homes.

"They're scared," he said. "They're scared for their own personal safety and their family's safety, their children's safety and they want a way to protect themselves."

Hoffman said that the most popular weapon for both men and women looking to defend themselves is a defense-grade shotgun. Hoffman credited the gun's popularity to the short waiting period -- it can be obtained in two weeks as opposed to waiting 90 days for a pistol permit.

"We sell about 8,000 guns a year, and I'd say a majority of them are for self-defense," he said.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Jessica Schneider reported that residents questioning their sense of safety following the home invasion have also been calling companies that install security systems.

Joe Mitchell of Associated Security Corp. said his company's phones have been ringing off the hook.

"I had 15 phone calls on my phone by 9:30 in the morning," he said.

He said that security systems aren't meant to protect valuables anymore, that many people use them to protect their lives.

**ChamberedRound** · July 31st, 2007, 09:52 AM

8000 legal sales a year... gee, where's all the mass murder, carnage, and kids killing themselves? I don't know, maybe IT DOESN'T EXIST, because most people are GOOD people who won't misuse a tool.

The liberals need to wake up...

**Mike45** · July 31st, 2007, 05:43 PM

Two week waiting period to buy a shotgun and 90 days to get a permit to buy a pistol is hard to believe, is that for real??? Glad I live here...Mike45

**reels18** · July 31st, 2007, 05:54 PM

Remember the televised scenes from the Rodney King riots?

All of those poor sheep standing in line to buy guns in California.

All of them thinking they could buy a gun on the spot.

Those Korean store owners with their AKs showed the rest of the country how it was done.

**gf45acp** · July 31st, 2007, 07:21 PM

In NJ it could take 2 to 6 months to get a Firearms ID card to by long guns (one card for as many long guns as you wanted). I had Pistol Purchase Permits (need one for each handgun) go through in as short as 2 weeks and as long as 4 months, and you already had to have an FID!

**Lougotzz** · August 1st, 2007, 08:09 AM

In NY you have to wait 4-6 months for the pistol permit. After that you could buy a HG right off the shelf. But then it took you a day to do the routine to register it with police. Be glad you live here boys. Gun control is out there and trying to make its way to you in the near future. Count your blessings.