Parents are doing anything to keep their kids safe from another school shooting. Sales of bulletproof backpacks are witnessing a massive increase in the wake of the devastating mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, manufactures told Business Insider.
School shootings have been a big problem in the United States for quite some time. On Tuesday (May 24) gunman Salvador Ramos opened fire at Robb Elementary School and killed at least 19 children and two teachers making it the bloodiest school shooting in the US since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 26 people dead in 2012.
Companies like Leatherback Gear, Guard Dog Security, Wonder Hoodie, TuffyPacks and MC Armor Company that manufacture bulletproof gear said they’ve already seen more customers searching for and purchasing bulletproof backpacks since Tuesday, according to reports.
Former Secret Service agent, founder and CEO of Leatherback Gear, Mike De Geus, said his company saw an 800% increase in sales volume after the recent Uvalde, Texas massacre.
De Geus, who protected former Presidents Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George Bush and Bill Clinton told TMZ that his best-selling backpack was designed for an active shooting situation. He says his brand’s backpacks offer the same amount of bulletproof armor he had when he was protecting the presidents.
The bulletproof backpack costs $249.99, and it creates a bulletproof vest in seconds, separating the item into two pieces. It covers the front and back of the person.
Yasir Sheikh, the president of Guard Dog Security said there’s also been “an increase from our national retailers who carry our bags.” Guard Dog Security sells backpacks to national retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Home Depot, and Lowe’s, he said.
A person standing in the line of fire can hold their Guard Dog Security backpack up to their head or chest to deflect the bullets, product illustrations on the website show. The backpacks come in different colors and patterns, and weigh less than four pounds, according to product descriptions.
Carolina Ballesteros, who is MC Armor’s marketing manager, told Business Insider that after the massacre, the demand for bulletproof backpacks has skyrocketed in states like New Jersey, Georgia, California, Pennsylvania, and Florida.