With antisemitism on the rise, many Jewish Americans and Israelis in Los Angeles are taking steps to protect themselves and their families … and some are turning to firearms.
Eric Fletcher, a manager for Burbank Ammo and Guns, tells TMZ … the shop has recently seen a huge influx of Jewish Americans and Israelis who are buying guns for the first time.
We’re told many of the first-time gun owners are women, and sometimes entire families are coming to the gun shop together.
The numbers are staggering … the manager says this month alone the store has processed 194 firearm safety certificate tests and counting, compared to just 45 in October 2022, and the manager estimates 75% of the folks coming in now are Jewish Americans or Israelis.
The safety tests are required for anyone buying a gun for the first time … so the numbers represent first-time gun buyers.
At Burbank Ammo and Guns, handguns are the most popular firearm purchased … and we’re told stock is running low and the shop is doing its best to keep up with increased demand.
While there’s a war between Israel and Hamas a world away, in America there’s been a recent wave of attacks on the Jewish community. According to the advocacy group Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have risen by almost 400% since Hamas attacked Israel.
It’s a pretty crazy time in our lives … the gun store manager says the shop hasn’t been this busy since the pandemic began.