The spike in gun sales after Sandy Hook meant more people died accidentally from guns
Gun sales and accidental deaths from guns spiked in the months following the mass murder at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, new research says. The study suggests that the more people are exposed to firearms, the more likely it is that someone will die.
Using Google trends data, researchers at Wellesley College spotted an increase in searches for phrases including “buy gun” and “clean gun” in the five months after a shooter at an elementary school murdered 20 children and six adults. Based on a spike in background checks, the researchers estimate that 3 million more guns than average were sold during this five-month period. That corresponded with an increase of 60 accidental gun deaths — including 20 children,…
