A record high of nearly 1 million background checks have been done this year on people interested in buying firearms, state data show. The background checks are a required part of the purchase process at stores.
By mid-December, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement had run 823,653 background checks, surpassing the 797,610 total checks conducted in 2012. The agency also ran an all-time high of about 13,500 checks during Thanksgiving weekend (Thursday through Sunday), about 200 more than the same period last year.
"These numbers indicate individuals who are attempting to purchase firearms. But whether or not they go away with firearms we do not know," said Samantha Andrews, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. She said the state does not have sales data.
"What we can say, is that more than 96 percent of all transactions result in approval while the caller is on the phone," Andrews said.
Owners of gun stores in South Florida say they noticed a surge in firearm sales during the first few months of the year.
"Everybody under the sun was purchasing weapons," said Les Wexler, owner of K&W Gunworks in Delray Beach.
That momentum didn't last long.
"After Sandy Hook, it went nuts. Then it slowed down," said Gary Lampert, a managing partner at National Armory, a gun store and range in Pompano Beach.
People rushed to stores to buy firearms following the December 2012 mass killing of elementary school students in Sandy Hook, Conn. Lambert said people feared federal bans and limitations on firearm purchases, so they stocked up.
FDLE ran about 114,500 background checks in January. In June, around 55,500. By Dec. 15, about 41,000.
Despite the record number of background checks statewide, sales so far at Lampert's store are only a small fraction -- about 20 percent -- of what they were in 2012, he said. "It's not the end of the world. But it should be better."
Overall, "the industry is busier" than in the last few years, said Randall Waltuch, owner of Gun World of South Florida in Deerfield Beach. There are more seniors and women buying guns and getting licenses to carry a concealed weapon, he said.
In Broward County, there are about 89,000 people with permits to carry a concealed weapon or firearm, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In Palm Beach County, around 72,600. Statewide, there are at least 1,204,520 people allowed to carry a concealed weapon or firearm. That's all based on data up to Nov. 30.
Last year, Florida became the first state in the nation to have more than 1 million people licensed to carry a concealed weapon or firearm.
mvalverde@tribune.com, 954-356-4526, Twitter @MiriamValverde ___
(c)2013 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.