Colorado Shooting Spikes Gun Sales Across the Nation, Except in Alaska

Experts said Alaska gun sales didn't rise because so many Alaska residents already own them

Tools

By Lauren Maxwell
Bio | Email

Story Created: Jul 25, 2012 at 6:41 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Jul 25, 2012 at 6:46 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - The Colorado Century 16 theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, has sparked an increase in gun sales across the country, but that’s not the case in Anchorage.

Experts said that could be because so many people here already own guns and many people carry them – concealed.

In most public places it is likely there are people packing concealed weapons. “There are people out there who are armed and you don’t know which ones are armed,” said Lieutenant Dave Parker.

In Alaska you only have to be 21 years old to carry a handgun and you don’t need a permit to conceal a weapon. Alaska residents can carry concealed weapons in most public places, but there are exceptions, like schools and federal buildings.’

Individual businesses can also bar weapons as long as it's posted in a public place and if you're pulled over or approached by a policeman for any reason you have to tell them right away.

But just because Alaskans have the right to carry, is it always a good thing?

Steve McDaniel, owner of Alaska Tactical, always has a gun on his hip. He said that Alaskans should have to right to carry guns, but they have responsibilities to learn to use them safely.

“For every gun carrier to take the initiative to get formal training because you can't read it out of a book nor are you going to learn it from television.”

Police agree; they said gun owners need to know both the laws and their weapons. APD also said they’re not sure if a handgun would have helped in the Colorado shooting, because the suspect was supposedly wearing body armor, but they said in the past citizens have been able to save innocent lives, because they were carrying a gun.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.