Per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-preservation lies near the bottom; demonstrating that humans yearn for safety above just about all else – especially through firearms. In 2022, 45% of households in the United States owned at least one gun; this number was last reached in 2012 after the 2011 Tucson Shooting. Due to wars and exposure to violence, many think safety means having the power to fight back. This belief causes a spike in gun sales after every shooting, and, consequently, a rise in the stocks of companies dealing in firearms.
2021 ended with an astounding 692 – the United States had suffered only 358 five years before. After noting the considerable increase of gun sales, the University of California Davis studied the sales numbers throughout the year. Researchers found that more people were buying firearms both within 30 days of a mass shooting and in December. Naturally, after a mass shooting, people get scared and think that owning a gun will protect them in case of future incidents and level the playing field. As for the trend in December, there exists two main explanations. Firstly, some may buy guns as gifts. However, the more major contributor would be the legislative gun laws that go in effect every year on January 1. Every mass shooting motivates the government to create more laws, and, in doing so, people invest in firearms at the end of year in case of bans. All of these reasons accumulate, and, as of 2020, the state of California measured 1.16 million gun sales for the year – and the number continues to rise. Additionally, people do not just want guns anymore. Requests for bump stocks – a piece that enhances firing speed – rose ever since a shooting in Las Vegas. The dramatic increase in gun sales after every mass shooting means not only an increase of firearms in circulation, but also higher stocks for those selling these items.
Openly-traded firearm companies gain incredible amounts of money after every mass shooting. Both bigger ones, like Sturm, Ruger, & Co. (commonly known as Ruger), and smaller ones, like Smith & Wesson, all follow the same trend. Within one day of a shooting, they will peak and trade at a few dollars higher. Then, they will hover at a dollar or so less than the peak. Firearms company stocks have grown exponentially over the past few years, and citizens can only expect more growth as shootings continue.
Firearm companies have gained exorbitant amounts of money as people buy more guns post-shootings. With the growing and constant fear of a shooter, whether that be at school or the park, citizens feel the need to protect themselves. The growing distrust in the police force only adds to this. People feel the need to turn to the cause of their worries in order to live their life with some feeling of comfort and security. Should mass shootings die down, this might mean a disastrous fate for firearm companies.
Sources:
Luscombe, Belinda. “Mass Shootings Are a Crisis. So Why Are Gunmakers Stocks Rising?” Time, 26 May 2021, https://time.com/6185520/mass-shootings-gunmakers/. Accessed 19 April 2023.
“Percentage of Households in the United States Owning a Firearm.” Statista, 2022, https://www.s tatista.com/statistics/249740/percentage-of-households-in-the-united-states-owning-a-firearm/. Accessed 19 April 2023.
Written by Joyce Rizko
The Shot on Mental Health