Bulletproof backpacks are witnessing a massive hike in demand in the wake of the devastating mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, this Tuesday, May 24. The police confirmed that the shooting at Robb Elementary School killed 19 children and 2 teachers.
As gut-wrenching as it is, bulletproof gear appears to be the last resort for millions of worried parents to keep their children safe amidst these fatal situations that only grow more common with each passing day in America.
Sales of bulletproof backpacks skyrocket after Uvalde school shooting
Four leading manufacturers of bulletproof backpacks, specifically aimed at protecting children from active shooters, reported a significant increase in sales in the aftermath of the worst US school shooting since Sandy Hook in 2012. Leatherback Gear registered an 800% spike in sales, while sales for TuffyPacks' armor inserts increased by 300%.
Guard Dog Security, which manufactures various other self-defense gear, also reported that they're "seeing an increase" in interested customers as well as national retailers. As per the brand's president, Yasir Sheikh, Guard Dog donated part of the sales proceeds to Make Our Schools Safe, a nonprofit organization founded by the parents of one of the victims of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Julie McCuen, Chief Operating Officer at Leatherback Gear, told Insider that tragic events like school shootings typically bring about a spike in sales of bulletproof backpacks. She said:
"People react and seek out something to make them feel safer after the fact. While we wish that this wasn't something we as parents needed to think about, recent history reveals that it is very much a threat to our children that we need to take seriously and make every attempt to be proactive about."
McCuen added:
"Just as we educate and prepare our children in school for what to do in the event of a fire, we now must do the same for an active shooter."
Working of bulletproof backpacks explained
The founder and CEO of Leatherback Gear, Mike De Geus, is a former Secret Service agent who was in charge of the safety of several US Presidents, including Trump, Obama, Bush and Clinton. Geus vouches that his company's bulletproof backpacks offer the same amount of bulletproof armor as his own equipment while protecting former Presidents.
The brand's Sport One Jr., designed with active shootings in mind, "separates the backpack into two parts, creating an armored vest within seconds." For other variants of bulletproof backpacks, a person in the line of fire may deflect bullets by holding the bag up to their head or chest, as seen in product illustrations on the manufacturers' websites. According to product descriptions, the backpacks weigh less than four pounds.
Another bulletproof backpack insert manufacturer, MC Armor, reported that the states of New Jersey, Georgia, California, Pennsylvania, and Florida in particular saw a substantial increase in demand after the shooting. The brand's marketing manager, Carolina Ballesteros, noted:
"Normally, our regular customers don't look for the inserts for backpacks if it's not back to school, but since [May 24] 20% of our website visits and calls are for this product. We are always making awareness of the training and security for schools but sadly it is just at a moment of a tragedy that they look for it."
School shootings have almost become the inevitable reality for countless innocent American students with no end in sight. Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted the above about bulletproof backpacks in 2019, but three years later, it still remains relevant. That in itself is a testament to America's obstinacy towards reforming gun-control laws.