People in Louisiana rushed to purchase guns in the chaotic days of looting and lawlessness following Hurricane Katrina

Mark Sherman:

The increase was sharpest in the days immediately following the hurricane, according to FBI criminal history background checks on prospective gun buyers.

The 13,256 checks requested in the first 12 days of September were nearly as many as for the entire month a year ago. FBI officials, careful to avoid being drawn into the politically hot topic of gun ownership, would not speculate on the reason for the increase.

People seeking to arm themselves following a disaster is nothing new. More guns were bought nationwide, and more permits to carry concealed weapons were sought, after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"In this case, people realized that the police simply were overwhelmed. They had too much to do trying to rescue people and couldn't protect citizens. What should people do when they have to fend for themselves?" said John Lott, an American Enterprise Institute gun policy expert.

Several gun merchants interviewed by The Associated Press said televised reports of looting in New Orleans fed the spike in gun purchases, as residents of Baton Rouge and other communities flocked to gun stores telling of the need to protect themselves.

"There was a fear of the unknown," said Frank Pirie, owner of Bowie Outfitters in Baton Rouge. "You have to understand that the restaurant people, the store owners were out of business. Well, the drug dealers and thieves were out of business too and they had to relocate somewhere."

The population of Baton Rouge has nearly doubled since Katrina, adding to fears of its permanent residents, Pirie said.

The FBI tracks background checks, not actual gun sales. Fewer than 2 percent of people who want to buy guns are turned down because they have a criminal history.

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