With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
California Sees Record Increase In Gun Sales In 2020
New data out Thursday on firearms sales in California shows that there was a record increase in the number of handguns legally sold in the state in 2020.
From 2019 to 2020 there was a 65.5 percent increase in handgun sales and a 45.9 percent increase in long gun sales, according to the office of state Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Separate reports from Bonta's office on crime in California, also released Thursday, found that the homicide rate increased by 31 percent in 2020, with 74 percent of homicides involving a firearm. The number of domestic violence calls for assistance that involved a firearm also went up by 42 percent.
"Those numbers are a reminder that while our gun laws have worked to keep California's firearm mortality rates among the lowest in the country there is still more work to be done," Bonta noted.
While violent crime rates in California are still well below their historic highs in the early '90s, Bonta said the increase in homicides during the pandemic is "unacceptable."
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol.
-
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails.
-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight.
-
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious.
-
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress.
-
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.