“It was a feeding frenzy,” said John Thyne, owner of Peabody Sports LLC, a guns and ammunition dealer in Clearcreek Twp., Warren County. “As a result, most dealers in the area sold massive amounts of guns,” he said.
Eaton said more than 400 people were waiting in line earlier this month to enter a gun show at the Sharonville Convention Center in Hamilton County, where many dealers sold out of their stock. “Local police had to come out to direct people to other parking because they had filled up the Sharonville Convention Center parking lot,” he said.
Officials at the Butler County Sheriff’s Office report they are booked until March 11 with conceal and carry applicants. Appointments are scheduled every 30 minutes, Monday through Friday, from 8 to 4 p.m., they said.
“People are scared to death. They are afraid they won’t be able to have a weapon,” Sheriff Richard Jones said, noting the reason is two-fold: recent violence and the re-election of Obama.
The issuance of CCW permits have remained steady or increased annually since 2009 in Butler County, according to information gathered by The Middletown Journal/Hamilton JournalNews.
The number of permits in Butler County increased from 1,428 in 2009 to 2,116 in 2012, according to Lt. Morgan Dallman of the sheriff’s office. In October, 182 applications were processed, followed by 209 applications in November and 181 in December.
Sgt. Monte Mayer said while the raw numbers don’t reflect it, applications rose significantly in December. He noted December’s numbers were on par with previous months despite several days in which applications were not processed due to holidays.
Warren County has seen no major increase in concealed-carry applications, partly because it processes them by appointment only — around 24 a week, said Lt. Jerry Mays.
“We’re booked up until May” for appointments, Mays said. He said the department started the appointment-only policy several years ago after being overwhelmed by the demand for permits
Last month, the number of federal government-instituted background checks processed in Ohio on potential gun owners nearly doubled from the previous December, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The NICS processed 102,531 background checks in December 2012, up 64 percent from 62,381 in December 2011.
Retailers and law enforcement officials said Christmas gun sales might be the prime factor in December’s higher numbers, but some said the Sandy Hook shooting and possible changes in gun laws may have affected the numbers.
President Obama on Wednesday announced a $500 million program aimed at curbing gun violence. In his speech, Obama said he wants a ban on military assault weapons and a limit of ammunition magazines to 10 rounds.
Semi-automatic rifles such as the AR-15 and full-capacity ammunition magazines are in high demand at area gun dealers, Eaton said.
One dealer in Lebanon, Ohio, will be using a lottery system for sales of an upcoming shipment of semi-automatic rifles, according to Eaton. “That way he doesn’t have crowds waiting there for when the shipment arrives,” he said.
“Basically with the president signing executive orders, (he) has done more for gun sales and ammunition sales than any other president,” Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said.
CCW training class are also booming.
Jesse VonStein, chief range safety officer and certified pistol instructor at Lake Bailee Recreation Park, has organized a group of instructors to offer conceal and carry courses for school personnel. Two classes offered Feb. 10 and March 10 are full with 80 participants each. Hundreds more are in line, he said.
“We are getting 35 to 40 calls a day,” VonStein said. “This is just not a good environment right now. People are uncertain about how laws could change and they want to be prepared to protect themselves.”
Applicants waiting their turn Wednesday at the Butler County Sheriff’s Office all had an opinion about the Second Amendment, gun ownership and CCW laws, but some were reluctant to be named.
“It is the best option of personal protection,” said a Fairfield Twp. man who was renewing his permit. “And guns are not responsible for what people do, no matter how horrible.”
Chuck Weber, a Vietnam veteran who lives in West Chester Twp., said he sought his CCW permit because it’s his right to possess and carry fire arms.
Weber target shoots at the Middletown Sportsman’s Club in Madison Twp. and talks to many gun owners who, like himself, are worried about their Second Amendment rights.
“People think people like Obama could use the school shooting to fuel changes in gun laws,” Weber said. “They would not be as worried if he hadn’t been re-elected.”
Trenton resident Herman Newton said of Obama, “I don’t trust him.”
“I think it is very possible he will try to take away some of our Second Amendment rights,” Newton said.
Newton said he keeps his pistol with him at home and when he is walking with his wife at night.
“You just don’t know in this day and time,” Newton said. “When I am at home watching TV, my pistol is right beside me.”
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