Gun sales go up when gun control is in the news
Increases in firearm purchases following mass shootings are well-observed phenomena, likely driven by concerns that these events could lead to more restrictive gun controls. Lead author Maurizio Porfiri, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the Tandon School [of Engineering] at New York University, notes that this is the first study to empirically examine—and confirm—the link between news stories specifically about gun policy and increased acquisition of firearms.