November 17, 2015
The deadly attacks in Paris have caused an increase in residents applying for gun permits in Western Pennsylvania, according to law enforcement officials.
The Allegheny County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that their firearms division received so many phone calls that traffic on their lines was becoming congested.
"Due to the recent events in Paris, we have been receiving an exorbitant amount of calls," the post read.
The office also said it were unable to process gun licenses at the time because the County Courts network was down, updating shortly thereafter that the network was back up.
According to WPXI, the Pittsburgh-based sheriff's office processed 104 permits on Monday, double the daily average.
The news station also reports that in neighboring Westmoreland County there was a small increase from the average on Monday and lines were busy Tuesday.
Demand for firearms in the United States increased after the attacks on September 11, 2001, and gun sales have spiked after incidents of mass violence like the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
In Pennsylvania, handgun purchases and concealed carry permits have jumped in recent years, while traditional sportsman's permits have dropped, according to an April report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
