People in the US who purchased a gun during the pandemic were more likely to support extreme political beliefs and engage in violent behaviour than people who bought a gun before March 2020
Society
16 February 2023
People waiting to purchase ammunition and guns in March 2020 Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images
People who bought a gun in the US during the covid-19 pandemic are more likely to have extreme political beliefs and thoughts of suicide or violence than those who purchased a gun before the pandemic. The finding suggests that pandemic-era gun buyers may be at a higher risk of committing violence either against themselves or others.
US gun sales rose dramatically during the covid-19 pandemic. From 2019 to 2020, there was a 64 per cent increase in firearm purchases, and …
