- California, New York and Washington saw gun sales surge due to coronavirus
- Shoppers seek to ‘protect their families’ should supplies run out due to the bug
- Others fear government’s emergency powers could restrict right to buy a gun
- Some Asian-Americans buying weapons to protect themselves from potential racist attacks
Americans are starting to panic-buy guns with sales rocketing across the country and shoppers lining up around the block outside hunting shops amid coronavirus fears.
California, New York and Washington – the states hardest hit by the deadly bug – all saw a massive surge in gun sales.
Some buyers sought to ‘protect their families’ from looters should food and supplies run out due to coronavirus panic.
It comes as thousands of Americans flocked to supermarkets to stockpile essential goods as panic about the coronavirus, which has killed 69 and infected 3,774 in the US alone, takes hold.
Huge lines stretched along the sidewalk outside the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City, California.
Another stretch of shoppers was seen outside Gun World in Burbank.
