Nescopeck Gun Show Could See Record Turnout

What is usually known as a small rural gun show, this year is expecting to hit record numbers this year.  Chairman Bob Hettinger says, "I've had calls from New Jersey and New York wanting to know how to get here."

And that's the story all across the state.  In fact so many people were trying to buy a gun at the same time on Saturday that the state system, which handles the background checks, shut down causing people in Nescopeck to wait.

Renee Cooke with the Maple Ridge Sports Center, "Yesterday it took two hours and that should normally take two minutes. Today right now the state system is down. Which means their circuits are busy this system has crashed nobody can buy a gun."

Everyone agrees this all relates back to the school shooting massacre in Connecticut. Gun control is once again at the forefront in Washington, D.C. and many are worried they will be stripped of their rights.

Daniel McKee of Selinsgrove says, "We have to watch that issue but at the same time the mental health issue which we have walked away from for 40 years is coming back and it's biting us tragically."

Organizers say in years past this gun show was driven by people who were buying guns for hunting but nowadays things have changed and now people are buying guns for home protection.

A gun show that normally draws around 1500 will see well over two thousand this weekend.