- Seems like for the last several months, gun and ammo sales have set record after record. I was just reading that NICS checks just in Tennessee, just for so far in June have topped 300K. That's just one state for a month that isn't over yet. We've all seen the prices of firearms and ammo. We've all seen how scarce firearms are becoming, in general, in many gun shops. I called one of my local shops a few weeks ago and he said he had a hundred people in the store that day and had sold everything in stock. So citizens are seeing the need to be armed, including new first time buyers.
- Why so many guns being sold? Well for starters is Covid. I think the initial thought for many was that police would get sick and there not be enough to patrol and respond. So many folks, including new time buyers figured they'd be on there own.
- Protests, riots and looting have occupied the police in many areas of the country. This leaves less police to patrol their zones or respond to calls for service. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we had a riot/looting just 20 minutes from my home. This last weekend, two Tampa PD Officers were ambushed, again, about 20 minutes from my home. 100 Officers responded to that riot from all over Tampa. Which of course left less to respond to normal problems all over the city for the duration of that incident.
- In addition to the police, we have issues with other First Responders. Rioters have set fires to buildings and homes and then prevented Fire Rescue from getting to the scene. This would translate over to paramedics and ambulances as well not being able to respond to areas for calls for service.
- Due to any and all of the above, medical services and hospitals could be overwhelmed.
- How far of a stretch would it be for planned riots to divert the attention of police to an area like downtown (business, city hall, PD headquarters etc) and then have a second part start going into neighborhoods while the police are tied down elsewhere?
I thought I'd start a discussion on this topic and ways to avoid, mitigate or deal with various situations should they occur.