Even though, according to some gun control advocates, gun ownership is down the number of carry permits being issued in Hennepin County are way up:
Applications for gun permits were up 54 percent from last year over the first four months of 2012, according to a report released Monday by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said the sheriff’s office has received 1,875 applications for permits to carry a gun over the first four months of the year. Over the same time last year, there were 1,220 applications that were received, an increase of 54 percent.
Last year was the second-busiest for new gun permit applications since the permit law took effect in 2003. Officials said renewal applications account for about 20 percent of total applications, and renewals are required every five years.
A 54 percent increase? That’s pretty good, especially when only 20 percent of the applications were for renewals.