Watch CBS News

Big Jump In Gun Card Applications In Illinois Since Colorado Massacre

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Since the mass murders in Colorado, interest in owning a gun appears to have spiked here in Illinois.

As WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller reports, the world was shocked when a gunman opened fire this past Friday in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. James Holmes, 24, is now charged with killing 12 people and wounding 59 more.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller reports

Podcast

On Saturday, the very next day, Illinois State Police had more than 1,200 requests for background checks for Firearm Owner I-D cards: a 41 percent increase from the Saturday before.

"I'm not surprised," said Carol Johnson, a life NRA member who lives in the northern suburbs. "A lot of people are thinking about, if I'm there I'm going to carry it whether it's legal or not, and I'm going to shoot back."

Johnson is well-armed herself.

"At the moment, I think I've got three in the house," Johnson said. "I've got a long gun, and I've got a revolver by the bed because I can shoot that. And I think I've got another one back in the back room."

By Sunday, requests for background checks dropped a little.

But by this past Monday, there were 854 requests for background checks for FOID cards – a 22 percent increase from the previous Monday.

Why? Gun stores say people get pushed into buying by all the talk about the need for more gun control.

Carol Johnson hasn't heard that, but, she said, " I think people may very well be thinking that."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.