In a year marked by a pandemic, violent protests over racial inequity and a highly partisan election, thousands upon thousands of handguns were bought in the Triangle.
NATION'S CAPITOL BY SATURDAY, 350 GUARDSMEN WILL HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN RALEIGH. >>> MORE GUN PERMITS ISSUED IN WAKE COUNTY IN 2020 IN THE PRIOR THREE YEARS COMBINED. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INCREASE OF 373 % IN ONE YEAR. THIS IS PLAYING OUT IN OTHER COUNTIES IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AS WELL. KIRSTEN GUTIERREZ IS LIVE IN RALEIGH AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SHERIFF ABOUT THE RISE IN DEMAND. >> Reporter: I'M OUTSIDE IN GOLDSBORO. THIS PARKING LOT FLOODED WITH PEOPLE ABOUT AN HOUR AGO. THE BUSYNESS HAS BEEN SEEN ACROSS GUN SHOPS IN WAKE COUNTY. THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE SURGE IN DEMAND FOR GUNS. THE WAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS SHATTERING RECORDS WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUMBER PISTOL PURCHASE PERMITS ISSUED IN 2020. >> WE HAVE 57,000 DISTAL PERMITS ISSUED OVER THE LAST YEAR. MORE THAN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THIS OFFICE IN ONE YEAR. THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. OTHER AREAS IN THE TRIANGLE SAW SIMILAR SPIKES BUT NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS WAKE COUNTY. >> WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED AND DESIRE, UNDERSTAND THE FEARS SOME PEOPLE HAVE DUE TO THE UNREST AND PROTEST. >> Reporter: WAKE COUNTY SHERIFF GERALD BAKER TELLS US HE KEEPS THE OFFICE LATE OPEN THREE NIGHTS A WEEK TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND. >> WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO MEET THE NEED. IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO THE FEAR MANY PEOPLE HAVE BECOME TO FEELING LIKE THEY NEED IT TO PURCHASE WEAPONS. >> Reporter: HIS MESSAGE TO THOSE IN THE COUNTY, REMAIN PATIENT. TYPICAL 14 DAY WAITING PERIOD,
