The sheriff of Los Angeles County is reportedly planning to increase the number of concealed carry gun permits in his city by a significant amount.
“NEW: In a live stream just now, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he expects to begin increasing the amount of concealed carry permits he issues by as much as 400%. CCWs are notoriously difficult to obtain in LA. @FOXLA” Fox 11 Los Angeles reporter Bill Melugin tweeted Wednesday.
NEW: In a live stream just now, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he expects to begin increasing the amount of concealed carry permits he issues by as much as 400%. CCWs are notoriously difficult to obtain in LA. @FOXLA
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) June 24, 2020
Historically, acquiring a concealed carry permit in Los Angeles has been extremely difficult and is usually reserved for celebrities and those who can prove they are high-profile targets.
“To qualify for a CCW, each applicant must demonstrate (1) proof of good moral character, (2) that good cause exists, and (3) that the applicant is a resident of the county or a city within the county, or, that the applicant spends a substantial period of time in the applicant’s place of employment or business in the county or a city within the county,” an official government website reads. “In addition, the applicant must complete the training requirements as listed above.”
Gun sales have skyrocketed across the United States for several months, and in April, sales were up 200% in some states, with many of the purchases being initiated by first-time gun owners.
Villanueva has come across to some as a strident Second Amendment supporter in recent months after arguing that gun stores should not be closed as part of the coronavirus lockdown.
“Based on further input from the federal government, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will not order or recommend closure of businesses that sell or repair firearms or sell ammunition,” Villanueva said in a written statement in March.
