Demand for bulletproof backpacks soars (again) after the elementary school mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Over the years, mass shooting incidents at schools have increased sales for companies that manufacture bulletproof gear.
Nationwide, the search trend for “bulletproof backpack” is rising after last week’s horrific mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Parents are concerned about their children’s safety.
A surge in search trends for bulletproof backpacks has occurred after significant shootings in the last ten years. This weekend’s search trend is at a three-year high and back to 2019 levels when there were several mass shootings that summer. Another spike in early 2018 occurred after a 19yo kid walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others. A smaller jump was seen in late 2012 when a gunman killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
After the events in Uvalde last week, bulletproof backpack demand is surging, Bussiness Insider reports, citing Guard Dog Security, a Florida-based company that manufactures and distributes bulletproof gear. Guard Dog President Yasir Sheikh said they’re “seeing an increase” in customers interested in bulletproof backpacks.
Sheikh said there’s “an increase from our national retailers who carry our bags.” He noted retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Home Depot, and Lowe’s already carried the bags that act as a shield in the event of a shooting. The bags are equipped with a level 3 plate that is designed to protect against 9mm and .44 magnum rounds.
Prices of the backpacks range from $100 to $300.
A diagram on Guard Dog Security’s website shows how the bags are used in the event of a shooting.
Reporting from ZeroHedge.
